


Composition of Heartstrings

by BloomingByuns



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Pianist, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Light Angst, M/M, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 18:49:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 31,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15249738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloomingByuns/pseuds/BloomingByuns
Summary: With the help of an odd friend, Chanyeol and Baekhyun find themselves becoming unlikely lovers who aren't all what they seem. From meeting at strange clubs to music competitions, is their love accidental or fated? It might just be both.





	Composition of Heartstrings

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! This is my very first fic and I'm excited to be publishing. Comments are much appreciated and I hope you enjoy this read :) There are references to music artists/movies if you catch them. Apologies for any misrepresentation of the issues discussed. 
> 
> Disclaimer: The celebrities' names/images are borrowed and do not represent who they are in real life. No offense is intended towards them, their friends or family. Nor is offense intended towards any of the issues discussed. No money is being made from this fictional work and no copyright infringement in intended. The original characters/plot are property of the author.

_“Music is the literature of the heart; it commences where speech ends.”_ ― Alphonse de Lamartin

 

“Will you do it for me? Please?”

Jongdae’s whining voice comes pounding through Chanyeol’s receiving end, and he drops the hand that was holding his phone into his lap with a hefty sigh.

Chanyeol and Jongdae had been best friends since sophomore year in high school, when Jongdae came bursting into the music room on a frigid winter’s day, looking for someone by the name of _“Kim Minseok”_ and clumsily toppled into Chanyeol’s drum set.

Chanyeol’s initial reaction had been annoyance, but mainly dismay for his precious instrument. However the moment he saw the boy sprawled on the floor in a wooly coat that did nothing to obscure his gangly limbs, he couldn’t help but start chuckling at the sight of the visitor who was busy muttering a slew of profanities. The bond they formed that day made it past the music room's enclosed space and Jongdae introduced Chanyeol to his friends where he soon became apart of their friend group.

Days turned into months and months turned into years, and memories of spending their summer nights having sweaty dance battles in each other’s rooms, spending hours wasting away their eyesight on video games, and even creating their own band —Exo, as they had so infamously named it— all became memories so treasured that neither Jongdae nor Chanyeol could ever picture a day where they'd forget. The pair carried their high school adventures with them to present day where they were slowly but surely nearing the end of their junior year at the same music university. Although the two’s relationship was likened to a bond similar to that of brothers, they weren't roommates since Jongdae chose to room with Minseok (who Chanyeol later found out was his boyfriend after that historic day in the music room) and left Chanyeol to be with his less rowdy friend Sehun.

Jongdae was someone Chanyeol could never bring himself to say no to, even if it meant two am pickups at one of their classmate’s drunken parties. Today was another one of those days where Jongdae would go back to his hobby of busying Chanyeol with his many requests, although his current one was far less demanding. Well maybe it wasn’t, but Chanyeol pondered that it did have some upsides.

Jongdae’s sustained drawl of his name brings Chanyeol out of his thoughts and he hesitantly raises his phone back up to his ear. “But I really can’t be at the volunteer center today because I promised Minseok I’d accompany him to his sister’s piano competition or whatever, and it makes me feel bad since they’re low on assistance. But if it makes you feel better Yeol, there’s this super cute redhead that started working there a few weeks ago . .”

He rolls his eyes at Jongdae’s suggestive tone and is about to say something regarding his already _existing_ crush on his sound design partner Kyungsoo, but pauses when he hears Jongdae take a breath to start on his fourth rant of the day.

“Okay but listen up ferret boy. .” That was one of Jongdae’s various nicknames for Chanyeol. It had come by on a lazy sunday afternoon where the two found themselves deep in childhood nostalgia and spent half the day looking for old yearbooks and the other half sifting through the dusty pages that photographed their adolescence.

Unluckily for Chanyeol, Jongdae had come across a picture of a very plump and innocent eyed version of his friend, with a similarly adorable ferret in his arms, taken in order to commemorate his school’s ferret club. Something that Chanyeol will never live down and he swears he can almost _hear_ his friend’s laughter whenever his mind wanders to those animals, as much as he adores them.

“I get it dude, I’ll help you out,” Chanyeol says, interrupting Jongdae mid-sentence since he knew how long the other could go on for. “Besides, you know how much I love animals so it won’t be too much of a problem for me. Have fun with Minseok and— yeah don’t worry about it, if you’re grateful then _please_ don’t drag me to another one of those clubs you two like, my drinking tolerance is nonexistent and you sure as hell know that . . anyways see you.”

Getting off the couch to stretch his long legs, he finds himself instantly craving the warmth of the fleecy blankets that were encircling them just seconds earlier. _Damn Jongdae, he better be appreciative that I’m giving up my one free day for him,_ Chanyeol thinks as he sets his phone on the miniature coffee table in front of him, but not before giving Sehun a heads up that he wouldn’t be back until evening.

Grabbing a casual hoodie from his closet and throwing it over his head, without giving too much thought that the words _Sexual Fantasies_ decorated the front side, he quickly peers into Sehun’s vanity to fix his mussed up hair.

Observing the faded colors of pastel pink, violet, and blue that sat upon his head, Chanyeol had to admit he resembled cotton candy. Maintaining its vibrancy required some effort and he chose to dye it during the summer about three months ago just for the fun of it. He had hoped in vain that Kyungsoo might notice, but he offered little more than a _“hey”_ when Chanyeol strolled into their shared class. Regardless of whether he earned his crush’s attention or not, Chanyeol had to admit he looked good and he carries with him that little self confidence as he drifts out of the dorm.     

        ***

The noisy rumbling that was produced from a nearby metro station, mingled in with the crunching of an array of leaves beneath Chanyeol’s sneakers. These combined sounds were enough to shatter the man’s reverie of pure nothingness. Chanyeol had always been one to stay in his head a lot, but more so in recent years.

Shaking his head back, he faintly registers the slight dampness that was clinging to his skin, and he wonders if there had been mild precipitation the night before.

Chanyeol has a knack for missing out on the miniscule things in life and was recently always preoccupied by his studies. Although he was generally outgoing, he wasn't the type of person who enjoyed or had much time for socialization. He scarcely made any close connections. Of course Jongdae argues against this monastic way of living and Chanyeol quotes him, or rather Chanyeol repeats what Jongdae quotes, “It’s the only life you got so you gotta live it big time.” The thought of his lively friend has a smile curving the edges of his lips, which were currently chapped due to the chilly weather.

The busy streets of Seoul gets less compressed the further Chanyeol walks and he momentarily checks the navigation on his phone before stuffing his hand back into the cozy furnace that is his pocket. Autumn days always carried a bite of cold but were never too far from summer nights to have lost all heat.

Chanyeol strolls into a pile of amber and brown-tinged leaves and while he would prefer to bask in the satisfying sounds his shoes made against those that weren't dampened, he can’t help but think back to the mention of the good looking worker that Jongdae brought up earlier. He suppresses a light snort. Not to say he wasn’t the slightest bit curious, but the part of his mind that gives any concerns about relationships was full to the brim with ideas on how he should ask out his sound design partner. Preferably sometime near the holidays where he’d be free to wallow in his misery, should things go horribly wrong.

After a few minutes of ambling alongside a pedestrian walk, he passes by a long fence with a field of low cut grass and canopy tents on the other side. Shuffling closer, he attempts to peer into the holes of the fence.

_Arf-Arf! Arf-Arf!_

A chorus of barks interrupts his calm examination and startled by the onslaught of noise, Chanyeol whips his head around with just enough vigor to bang the side of his face into rough wires. _Shit._ Inwardly groaning, he raises a hand to gently caress his aching cheek and silently prays for a bruise not to form.

Leaving this misfortune behind, Chanyeol hastily makes his way past the fence and towards a building where a small sign was placed to the right of the entry doors that read ‘Volunteers Needed’ with a red paw print marked in the corner.

But before Chanyeol could enter, a blur of brown and white races past his vision and pries itself in between his legs, making adrenaline bombard his senses. “Is the world just against me today?” Chanyeol mutters, but the thought leaves his mind faster than he could blink. An adorable corgi nestled between his lower limbs and was busy nipping at the bottom of his jeans.

The corgi pauses in its biting as it feels a pair of eyes on him and stares back at Chanyeol with dark brown orbs, head cocked to one side in a questioning manner.

Chanyeol is internally cooing and he makes a mental note to ask Sehun if they could secretly adopt a dog. He knows his friend had a little bichon named Vivi when he was younger and Sehun’s photos of Vivi never fail to bring Chanyeol’s mood up.

Chanyeol is petting the corgi, but the sound of racing footsteps has him straightening up. Raising his head, he sees a man running over to him with a breathless expression.

The man is fairly petite and dressed in a plain sweatshirt underneath a volunteer vest that clung to his surprisingly broad shoulders and skinny build. Chanyeol thinks his ripped jeans are far from the most striking aspect of his appearance as he paid heed to the not-so inconspicuous red hair that fell in charming waves across the man’s forehead.

It takes a good amount of willpower to not ogle, and Chanyeol can feel his mind go blank as he observes the redhead’s features. This is until the man’s droopy brown eyes comes into contact with his own. If Chanyeol were to think back to this moment in the future — which he has, a handful of times — he would honestly say that one of his more noteworthy assessments was his thought that if there were a human equivalent of the dog still underneath him, this man would be it.

“Oh gosh I’m really sorry, this lil’ rascal escaped before I could wash him, are you alright?”

Chanyeol tries to scoop the dog into his arms but said lil’ rascal refuses to even budge. He lets out a laugh that sounds a bit winded and quickly reassures the man before him. “I’m completely fine don’t worry about it.” But after a second he curiously adds, “name?”

The redhead inclines his head to the left and Chanyeol once again thinks that he resembles the stubborn pup beneath him.

“Koko.”

He blinks. “Uhh…” uncertainty laces his tone but nevertheless he extends out his arm. “Nice to meet you, I’m Chanyeol—”

“ _Ohh,_ I thought you were referring to him.” The flustered man gestures to the corgi who was silently observing the exchange. Chanyeol doesn’t miss how a light rosiness suffuses his cheeks as he stumbles over his words trying to correct himself. Unknowingly, a blush passes onto Chanyeol’s own face. “My name’s Baekhyun, Byun Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun reaches his own hand out this time and Chanyeol greets it warmly. He tries not to think too much on how nicely Baekhyun’s hand fit with his. The redhead’s fingers were long and delicately crafted in comparison to Chanyeol’s large and calloused ones. _Piano fingers,_ he thinks. He couldn’t keep his eyes from following their movement as they dropped to the man’s side, but they raise back up when Baekhyun starts to speak.

“Your hair is really nice, I was thinking about doing something multicolored when I went to get this done,” Baekhyun says, running those seemingly fragile fingers through his hair. Parts of his face were now unconcealed and greeted rays of brightness that had filtered through a previously doleful sky. “But I guess I didn’t have the guts for something too out there.”

“Your hair suits you perfectly,” Chanyeol responds, and he admires Baekhyun’s eyes which crinkled into folded crescents at the compliment.

“Yours does too.”

Chanyeol watches how the redhead reaches into the side pocket of his vest and slips out something small and disfigured. Baekhyun bends down and tantalisingly wags the treat in front of Koko’s leathered nose, as if casting a state of hypnosis.

His wrist abruptly jerks outward and the corgi, not letting the tempting snack leave his sight, promptly rushes out from under Chanyeol to fetch his treat.

Chanyeol stumbles forward from Koko’s sudden movement, but Baekhyun’s arm shoots out and grasps onto the underside of his bicep before he could pitch forward.

“Thanks, I’m not usually so clumsy,” Chanyeol professes, but his next words die away on his lips as he notices the close proximity between himself and the man stabilizing him. Chanyeol lets his eyes wander down the redhead’s face and they land on a tiny mole resting just above his mouth.

Baekhyun pulls away and in the process, Chanyeol spies the the vivid shade of red that blossoms over his cheekbones before his complexion washes back to its natural fairness. Letting out a nervous chuckle, Baekhyun shakes his head. “It’s alright, you should see me around the dog obstacles, I’m a complete mess. Say, what are you here for? To volunteer?”

Chanyeol nods. “Yeah my friend Jongdae couldn’t make it today so he asked me to fill in for him.” He sees a flash of realization pass over Baekhyun’s features and Chanyeol briefly wonders if Jongdae had ever spoken about him— he just hopes the topic didn’t consist of his ferret frenzies.

“Jongdae huh? I know him, well, the whole center does. The guy can be louder than some of these dogs combined.”

A hearty laugh escapes out of Chanyeol and he grins at the petite volunteer. “Yup that sounds like him alright.”

They continue to make small talk about Jongdae and go over what work Chanyeol would be helping with, until Baekhyun tells him to go inside while he go finds Koko.

When Chanyeol walks into the main caging area, he notices framed awning windows that lined the walls and detected a crisp breeze that wafted into the room from their openings. It filled the room with an airy and homely atmosphere. The cages themselves didn’t emanate a sort of confinement and were relatively commodious. Closely aligned with each other, they were metal barred on either side but open at the top, so that some bigger dogs could lift itself on its hind legs and peer at its neighbor.

He felt relieved to know that these abandoned animals weren’t treated cruelly and had a shelter that was spacious and well managed. However, the motley of dogs simultaneously break into a discordant harmony as the front door opens and he wishes that the dogs could find someplace better. A place that promised security and trust. After all, Chanyeol was far too accustomed with having a home that didn’t function as one.

“Ready to clean these playpens?” Baekhyun calls as he comes to Chanyeol’s side and puts Koko, who was munching happily on yet another biscuit, into an empty area that Chanyeol was resting his hip against.

“Sure, where are the other dogs?” Chanyeol asks. He motions to their row of empty pens and distangles a shiny cleaning hose from other equipment.

“Getting some exercise around the obstacle course, I’ll take you outside after we finish feeding.” Baekhyun points to a sliding door whose nether region was marred with scratch lines and pawprints. “I remember my friend Suho once dared me to try and fit into one of the smaller tubes. . you can guess what happened next.”

Chanyeol doubles over in laughter. The idea of the smaller stuck in the restraints of a tube was just too funny to imagine.

“Took me a good ten minutes to get out Chanyeol, a dog even threatened to _pee_ on me,” Baekhyun deadpans, and Chanyeol could only laugh harder. Baekhyun tried feigning annoyance into his tone, but it’s evident that it was a fond memory judging by the smile that played on his pouty lips.

“Why Koko? It’s not a very common name for dogs,” Chanyeol wonders aloud once the amusement of the moment had drifted away into a comfortable silence.

“Ah well I recently traveled to America and I went to this café that sold the best hot chocolate I’ve ever tasted.” Baekhyun closes his eyes like he was trying to remember the bliss of the experience. He emits a content hum before resuming. “And when we first rescued Koko, the color of his fur reminded me of those heavenly drinks I had over there. Hence, the name Koko, but with the letter ‘k’ in the spelling.” Baekhyun mouths the letter slowly for extra emphasis.

Chanyeol had never traveled outside the country and he found himself slightly envious of the other’s experience.

“Do you always travel a lot?”

“I do, but not for my own leisure. It's either for work or for my family who makes me support my older brother whose job requires a great deal of going overseas.”

Chanyeol twindles the hose between his fingers for a little while, before staring intriguingly at the redhead. “And what does he do?”

“He’s a violinist. . a very successful performer if I must say.” Baekhyun sighs and pushes a lock of bright hair away from his forehead. “Look I don’t mean to sound rude in any way, but my family and I aren't on good terms so I don’t enjoy talking about them that much.”

Baekhyun’s eyes which were usually full of blithe, dims as he gazes off to the side. Chanyeol doesn't like how unhappiness looks on the smaller.

He raises his hand and lets it hover tentatively above Baekhyun’s arm. Chanyeol wants the other to know that he shares a similar sentiment and hopes his next words wouldn’t come off as intrusive. “I’m not sure if this is what you want to hear, but I understand how you feel. Not in the same way that everyone always seems to overuse that phrase with affected pity. The relationship my family has. . or _had_. . wasn’t the best. Heck I wouldn’t even call it average. My point is though, I know where you’re coming from and we barely know each other. . but I’m someone you can talk to.”

Chanyeol withdraws a deep breath as he finishes and finally lets his hand rest upon the redhead’s shoulder. He’d always been on the receiving end of these sort of talks and giving them was an anomalous situation; it felt odd, unusual, unburdening.

Baekhyun peeks down at Chanyeol’s thumb which was busy rubbing soft circles into his skin. His touch looked as if to say _“I’m here”_ and a warm feeling spreads from where his hand met his shoulder to the rest of Baekhyun’s body.

Baekhyun starts mumbling in a quiet tone, almost to himself, and Chanyeol would have missed his speech had the room not been so silent. Even the dogs appeared to tire, and were soundless aside from the shaking of fur every now and then. “I wish they'd said the same,” Chanyeol catches him say.

A sullen silence permeates the room, but Baekhyun’s voice has it disappearing as swift as it came. “So Chanyeol, what do you do?”

The murkiness that was clouding Baekhyun's eyes, suddenly replaces with newfound radiance as he waits for the taller’s response. Instead of finding solace in the redhead’s capricious mannerism, Chanyeol felt more at unease. But he casts his concerns aside and responds.

“I’m a music student at the university nearby. I’m learning to be a producer and I also do some songwriting, though I’d like to spend more time on it to make it more than just a hobby.”

Chanyeol used to songwrite for his old band and it was his go-to pastime whenever his workload lessened. Back when acne was so prevalent on his face that it acted as a second skin, and managing his home and school life were his only worries. Sleepless nights had been prime opportunities to messily scribble lyrics— the time when his thoughts and fears mostly roused. He recalls how moonlight would shine through his dirtied window, lying on the floor like star glazed honey. Back at the dorm, nonsensical, half-finished songs probably cluttered his desk. But unlike before, Chanyeol chose to strum away most hours on his guitar than indite his vulnerabilities.

Baekhyun nods his head in agreement. “You’d be an excellent songwriter from what I can tell. You have a way with words.”

Chanyeol smiles appreciatively at the smaller. “Thanks, but I definitely need to work on it. Do you play any instruments?”

“I’ve attempted multiple in the past, but yes, my specialty is the piano.” Baekhyun wriggles his fingers playfully. “Though I wouldn’t call it a hobby.”

Chanyeol revisualizes the image of Baekhyun’s hands following an imaginary melody. With the knowledge that in reality he could in fact play, Chanyeol’s desire to see so increases by a tenfold.

“What’s with that smile?”

Realizing that he’d zoned off, he bashfully looks at the other. “Oh. . earlier I had a suspicion that you’d play the piano.”

“How come?” Baekhyun dips his head to the side, clueless about the images that fogged the mind of the man next to him.

Oh how Chanyeol regrets letting his mouth run off. “Your hands just seem. . made for it?” Way with words… sure.

To his surprise and relief, Baekhyun simply lets out a chuckle that formed half moons with his eyelids. Chanyeol feels happy to see them resurface. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

While the two worked to clean out the grimy dog pens, Chanyeol concluded that it was easy to act comfortably around the smaller. His personable demeanor made him someone you could laugh freely with and pass away time without the pressure to speak. Although gaps of quietness were never too frequent due to Baekhyun’s chattiness. Topics around random tidbits effortlessly eased into passionate discussions, such as Chanyeol’s sharing of his love for Battlegrounds. The redhead’s eyes nearly bulged out at that and he’d been quick to rant about his recent gaming stats. Contrary to Chanyeol’s initial belief, the gamer was actually older than him by a couple months. This fact made Baekhyun whine about their “unfair” height difference with a childlike pout. He made those rather frequently and Chanyeol wondered if they were done consciously.

Volunteer work at the dog center was enjoyable, but messy in Chanyeol’s case. The pressure washers they used were flimsy equipment according to him, albeit said _after_ he kept splashing the pair of them by directing the tool’s water flow to hit the edges of the pen so that it cascaded out and into the air.

“What was that about you not being clumsy?” Baekhyun joked with a mocking grin and that time Chanyeol intentionally sprayed the other. “Shut up.” Light-hearted banter followed and was accompanied by loud laughter.

“Koko up! Koko tunnel! Koko come here!” Baekhyun outstretches his arms and the frisky pup hurdles through the air and into his broad chest. Toppling backwards, Baekhyun’s back hits tufts of grass with the corgi enclosed in his arms. He dissolves into giggles when Koko’s pink tongue starts lapping around his neck.

Chanyeol watches the two with fondness and a smidge of awe at the way they worked together to move around the course.

“Chanyeol, you should try it out with Toben,” Baekhyun says as he gets off the ground and pets the skinny black poodle that rested in the taller man’s hold. “Just direct him on where to go by moving alongside the obstacles.”

“Mmm… okay,” Chanyeol responds— he doubts his ability to guide the puppy and hopes that it would at least be more agile than himself.

Putting Toben down, it was as if a rocket had been launched. The instant that the poodle’s padded paws met turf, he sprang off into the direction of the patterned weave poles.

Chanyeol was quick to react and he bounded after the spirited pup. All seemed well after Toben successfully zigzagged through the poles and Chanyeol guided him to the agility hurdles.

He frequently worked out to maintain his physique and often did weight training. This resulted in muscled arms and a toned abdomen, both of which he was proud of. However, running was never his forte, much less doing so backwards. This was on his mind as he jogged ahead of Toben, keeping his eyes trained on the poodle as it jumped over bars.

All of a sudden, Chanyeol feels his heel come into contact with one of the cones that connected the bars together. All he has time to do is pop a quick swear word on his way down and a second later he was on the ground. Groaning, he can hear Baekhyun wheezing in the distance.

Chanyeol turns over to his side and Baekhyun kneels down next to him, a huge grin plastered on his face. “You know. . I think you’re just too tall to function properly.” His eyes, which were a honey brown hue in the outdoor light, twinkled with mischief.

Chanyeol grabs a rubber ball he noticed was laying off to the side and aims it at the Baekhyun, who lets out an unmanly squeal as he ducks to avoid getting hit. It’s Chanyeol’s turn to start snickering and he holds his stomach to keep from rolling on the grass. “Wha- what even was that noise?”

Koko’s ears perked up from all the commotion and came trotting over to the pair who by now, were wiping freshly formed tears off their cheeks. Baekhyun calls out the corgi’s name, but then the unthinkable happens. Koko scampers past him and instead curls up near Chanyeol. The smaller lets out a betrayed gasp and Chanyeol laughs— a warm, husky sound Baekhyun notices. Chanyeol nudges his side with a smug expression. “He heard you make fun of my height,” he remarks, and Baekhyun just rolls his eyes.

It was late evening time and the two were lying on the grass, weary after hours of playing around like they were kids again. The dogs had all been put inside and most people left a long while ago. They watched as the sun merged with the sky into shades of a soft blaze. Silhouettes of birds flew home across clouds that bore resemblance to cotton candy. Those fluffy segments of the upper world looked as though they were blushing from the sun’s warm touch.

“The clouds look like your hair.”

Chanyeol props his head up with one arm and questioningly gazes at the other who was still admiring the sunset. “What do you mean? They look like they’ve been set on fire.”

Baekhyun turns his head and brings his hand up to ruffle Chanyeol’s already tousled hair. Chanyeol doesn’t shy away from the touch.

“Okay well the clouds look like your hair if you’d gone for something more _flame_ boyant.”

Chanyeol drops back to the grass with a long sigh. He doesn’t have to peer at the redhead to know that he was probably smirking with satisfaction from his god-awful pun.

They walked back in after the sun went hand in hand with the horizon and the fiery palette that seemed tattooed before them, slowly replaced with a diffusion of nightfall.

Chanyeol gathered his minimal belongings and got ready to say his goodbyes while Baekhyun stored his vest away and met Chanyeol near the entry doors.

“Thank you for coming today,” Baekhyun smiles, “We need all the help we can get and I haven’t laughed this hard in a while. Being here, even with the dogs to keep company, didn’t feel that lonely for once.”

Before Chanyeol could tell the smaller that he’d most definitely be back again, an unfamiliar voice rings through the air.

“Awh Baek, I’m hurt.”

Chanyeol swivels around and sees a young man approach them. He looked to be around their age and was dressed in standard college boy fashion. Dark eyes which stared at them amusedly, complemented his black hair which was brought up into a quiff that would look unkempt on anyone else, but he made it appear stylish.

“Is there a ‘dye your hair like an idol’ trend going on that I’m unaware of?”

Chanyeol relaxes at the unnamed man’s playful remark and asks himself if everyone but him was just born with a witty sense of humor.

“New volunteer huh? Nice meeting you, care to introduce me Byun?” The man’s tone was friendly, but turned sassy when directed towards Baekhyun. Judging that he knew the redhead’s surname and was on nickname basis, Chanyeol assumes that the two were close.

“No need to be cheeky,” Baekhyun sighs, and stands in between the taller men. “Chanyeol this is Junmyeon, or Suho who I mentioned earlier and Suho this is Chanyeol. He’s a friend of Jongdae who couldn’t come today.”

Suho, Junmyeon — whoever he was— glances at the bemused expression strewn on Chanyeol’s face and stifles a laugh. “Sorry let me clarify, my real name is Junmyeon, but Baek here calls me Suho. It’s a bit of a long story.”

“I see, well I guess I’ll refer to you as Suho if Baek does.” Chanyeol meets Baekhyun’s eyes when he uses his nickname for the first time and Baekhyun breaks his gaze to smile shyly at the floor.

“That works just fine. Hey Baekhyun, do you wanna grab some coffee later? Sure it’s late but I could really use a warm cup on a night like this.” Suho nods at Chanyeol. “You should come along too if you’re free.”

They both shake their heads, but Baekhyun speaks first. “Can’t. . I said I’d be back soon.” It wasn’t plainly discernible, but Chanyeol catches the subtle darkness that seeps into his voice.

Suho’s carefree bearing abruptly changes. His posture straightens and his mouth sets in a grim line before he frowns. “To him?”

Baekhyun responds tersely. “Yeah.”

“Baekhyun you shouldn’t be—” The redhead grasps his friend’s arm and stops him from continuing. “Let’s talk about this some other time.”

An inaudible message passes between the two and the air around them grew tense. Chanyeol wasn’t sure what was happening, but he understood that it wasn’t in his place to ask. Nonetheless, he worried for Baekhyun not only because of the anonymous _“him”_ , but anyone could tell that there was something off and Suho was highly concerned, if not angry.

Baekhyun faces Chanyeol and all solemness vanishes from his expression, not a single trace of the previous conversation left on his features. An exact repeat of what happened earlier that day.

“I have to go now and again it was really great meeting you. Let’s see each other soon.” With a light touch to the taller’s shoulder, Baekhyun walks out into the cool night, leaving a pit of disappointment and worry settle within Chanyeol.

“I just don’t understand him,” Suho murmurs once the door fluttered shut and he rubs his temples before looking hopefully at Chanyeol. “If you see him again, please make him happy like you did today.”

“I will.” And Chanyeol meant it. Suho asked him again if he’d like to accompany him to a nearby café, but Chanyeol politely declined saying he had things to work on. That being said, they shook hands and went their separate ways.

Chanyeol settles into his sheets when the moon hung heavily in the star filled sky. He turns to face his roommate’s sleeping back with a leaden heart, despite the high spirits he’d been in that day. Whispering the words, “I will” to himself, Chanyeol drifts off into a deep sleep.

***

For the following three weeks, Chanyeol adds visiting the dog center to his list of daily activities. Baekhyun is regularly there to greet him and soon enough, their volunteer work can never be completed without them being an inseparable pair. The redhead teaches Chanyeol tricks to do with the dogs and they quickly become attached to the tall, accident-prone man. When Baekhyun asked if he’d always been an animal person, Chanyeol responded by telling the story of when primary school him had brought a mouse stuck in a rat trap home, and how he’d gotten severely chastised. Somehow he doesn’t think twice about embarrassing himself if it means he gets to be in the comfort of Baekhyun’s laughter. Chanyeol enjoys spending time with the smaller and he knows the other does too, if his routine teasing and elated grins were anything to go by. At the end of the day, they always take a moment to appreciate the evening sky together, and Chanyeol feels his smile growing wider as time passes.

***

Chanyeol tugs his gray turtleneck closer to the chilled tip of his nose and wishes that he’d brought a scarf with him. Musing over this, he observes the near naked trees around campus with mild interest. Blossom trees once stood in their places, with pale pink petals that created awnings over pavement. Perfect shade to cozy up under and study.

Another week flew by and a new season emerged, but Chanyeol hadn’t gone back. “If you two get along so well, why don’t you go see him again? He even asked for you,” Jongdae said to him after he made a remark about the redhead for the “hundredth” time. But all Chanyeol replied with was “I’m busy” and that was true. His professors had assigned a crap ton of work and Chanyeol wanted to be on task so he’d have less to worry about over the upcoming break.

After mentioning songwriting to Baekhyun and receiving his encouragement, he had put more effort into improving his melody writing and lyric structure. Recent compositions made late into the night were written about a special someone, and that someone was also what prevented Chanyeol from going back. He didn't even have Baekhyun's number because he was _that_ shy. The redhead was intriguing in many ways and Chanyeol knew there was much more to him than just pretty smiles and humorous banter. Chanyeol wanted to discover the layers that made Baekhyun who he was, but the yearning to do so bothered him. He had to let part of his past go in order to move on. And that’s why he was walking to where he was now.

Do Kyungsoo was sitting on a bench, snug in a winter parka and typing away at the keys on his laptop. He takes a long sip of some warm beverage and Chanyeol watches as his exhalation forms puffs of heat— breath visible in the early morning.

He looks up at the approaching footsteps and puts his drink aside. “What’s up Chanyeol?” he asks in a nonchalant manner. Kyungsoo was always calm and even-tempered. Chanyeol never knew him to be someone very expressive, although when he smiled, his whole face changed. Like someone switched on a light from the inside. “Good job on getting us that A.”

Chanyeol waves his hand dismissively. “It was a team effort. Anyways I have something I wanted to speak to you about.”

Kyungsoo’s dark brows arch up curiously. “Oh? What is it?”

Chanyeol wasn’t that nervous oddly enough, but he takes a deep breath to calm whatever anxiety he felt before confessing to the man before him. “I like you Kyungsoo,” he blurts.

A wave of relaxation crashes over his rigid muscles and Chanyeol takes a seat next to the other man, whose lips part in surprise— an unusual emotion on his normally impassive face.

A silence ensues and Chanyeol lets him process the information.

“Chanyeol. . let me put it this way. You’re a terrific guy who I’ve had the privilege to meet and work with, but I can’t be in a relationship with you. It’s not that I’m taken, an issue with sexuality, or anything to do with you personally, it’s just—” Kyungsoo starts stuttering, trying to find the appropriate words.

“You’re not looking to be with anyone right now,” Chanyeol finishes for him and the other gives him a sympathetic glance. He spots an apology forming on Kyungsoo’s mouth and Chanyeol offers him a tight lipped smile. “Don’t be sorry. This may come off as rude and I apologize in advance, but the main reason why I’m telling you this is because I want to move on. A proper closure is needed for me.”

Kyungsoo bobs his head in understanding. “It’s alright. Please, find someone that’ll treat you well and thank you for telling me this, as hard as it must have been.” He checks an analog watch that encircled his wrist and stands up. “I have to get to my next class. . take care and I’ll see you around.” With a short wave and half smile, he leaves.

Even though Chanyeol hadn’t been anticipating for Kyungsoo to reciprocate his feelings and he did in fact confess for closure, the meeting still put him in a glum mood for the rest of the morning. Most of his friends still had classes, but Chanyeol’s only one that day was already over. He needed someone whom he could feel untroubled with and as he made his way to the dog center, he hoped a certain puppy-like volunteer would be there.

Passing by the same fence and field he did weeks ago, Chanyeol touches his cheek in recollection of his ungainliness. It was past midday, but today had a particularly wintry temperature. Blankets of frost adhered to lengthy stalks of grass, much like sprinkled sugar over pieces of cake.

The moment he enters the building, a gust of warm air hits his face. Chanyeol closes his eyes trying to relish in the short-lived thawing. He opens them not a second later at the sound of his name, but the voice didn’t belong to who he was looking for.

“Suho, hey. Uhm is Baekhyun here today?” The other man was staring at him in question, as attractive and self-assured as the time they met before.

“Sorry to let you down man, but both you and Baekhyun haven’t been here recently. If you need to speak to him I can ring him up for you?” Suho gestures to his phone and Chanyeol almost cracks up at the sight of his case. He did _not_ expect someone like Suho to have a Rilakkuma cover. “Or you can check back this weekend cause he tends to come on Saturdays. He’s been pretty busy preparing for something.”

Chanyeol leans against the counter of the reception area and tries to shrug off his disappointment. “That won’t be necessary, but thanks.” Hesitantly, he bites his bottom lip and debates asking what was on his mind for the past three weeks. _Ah screw it._ “Is Baekhyun seeing anyone?”

The corners of Suho’s mouth involuntarily curl up and he snaps his fingers. Pointing at Chanyeol with his index, he grins proudly. “ _That_ is what I knew you were gonna ask.”

Chanyeol wants to cross his arms defensively and scoff in retaliation, but he just stands his ground, shuffling uncomfortably. Was he being too forward?

“To answer your question, yes, Baekhyun is taken.”

Chanyeol nods in apprehension. Baekhyun was kind, entertaining, good looking. . it made sense that such an all-around man would have someone to love all of those attributes.

“For now.”

Suho mutters that last part so quietly that Chanyeol thinks his mind was playing tricks on him. He looks weirdly at the other but Suho holds his gaze, unblinking. Maybe Chanyeol did just imagine hearing it.

He wonders if he should stick around longer and chat with the other more, but he gets a call from Sehun asking where he was. Apparently Jongdae and Minseok were over and his roommate wanted “quality bro time” and not first-hand experience at being a third wheel.

Chanyeol tells Suho that he’d come by again and when he leaves, he becomes aware of the fact that that was his second time leaving with a heavy heart.

The first thing Chanyeol sees when he strolls into his room are the empty beer cans that littered the floor, consonant to the finished ramen cups that lay knocked over on the coffee table. He reminds himself to buy some kind of air freshener the next time he goes out. Jongdae was cackling at something Sehun said while Minseok’s head rested in his partner’s lap; his phone screen was directly in front of his face and the illumination made his drowsy features more patent.

Chanyeol makes his way through the maze of junk and kicks his best friend’s side with a whine. “Yah Jongdae, this isn’t your room so pick your trash up.”

Sehun was resting on his back and his long legs dangled over the sofa’s armrest. He snickers at his friend who gives Chanyeol a dirty look, but in a joking sort of way. “Dae he’s telling you to get out . . hah. . Chanyeol?” He pauses when he notices the despondent expression his dorm mate wore.

“Buddy you alright over there? You look like you just lost in PUBG, but with less anger if that makes any sense.” Sehun’s words were slightly slurred and his entire face was blatantly flushed.

Chanyeol sighs around his freshly opened can of brew. “I guess? Not really sure.” But his frown melts into a smile when his friend sits cross-legged next to him and wraps a comforting arm around his shoulders.

Minseok calls out to him from across the jam-packed room. “Don’t be afraid to talk to us, we’re all here for you to rant to.”

His words resonate with Chanyeol and he throws the other an appreciative glance.

“Thanks bro. But I feel good after saying what I wanted to Kyungsoo. Looking back, I never liked him in the— hey!” He stops to swat Sehun’s hand away from his drink. “That’s enough for tonight or you’re gonna regret it tomorrow,” Chanyeol reprimands, and ignores his friend’s complains. “Anyways I never cared about him the way someone with deeper feelings would have. The small details in every person were something I failed to notice about him, but I treated them like something precious in. . someone else.”

Jongdae scoots closer to him with a smirk and Chanyeol can sniff traces of alcohol on his breath. “Is that ‘someone else’ Baekhyun?”  

Chanyeol shoots a glare at his friend who returns the look with a wide smile that showcased his not-so pearly rows of teeth. “Yeah. . but Dae. . did you know he has a boyfriend?”

Judging by the way Jongdae spits out his drink, this was all new information to him.

Chanyeol wipes the mixture of beer and saliva that got on his cheek with a face of disgust. “Aish how does Minseok even put up with you?” he groans, and grimaces at the sticky residue it left behind.

Jongdae still looks taken aback. “Never mind that, h-hey don’t wipe that on me.” He nudges Chanyeol’s damp sleeve away from his back.

Chanyeol looks at him incredulously, unbelieving of his friend’s manner. “ _You_ spit on _me!_ ”

Jongdae pretends not to hear him and brings them back to the previous topic. “So Baekhyun is dating someone?”

Chanyeol dips his head which indicated a “yes” and Jongdae tsks while rubbing his hand on his taller friend’s knee. “Gee. . I’m sorry dude. He never mentioned it to me, did he tell you today?”

“No he wasn’t there, but Suho gave me the info,” Chanyeol says, and tilts back so his spine rested in between Sehun’s legs — who was seated back on the couch — and lets out a sigh of contentment when he feels long fingers start combing through his hair.  

Minseok stares pitifully at him. “Gosh you had a pretty rough day huh?”

Jongdae, moving off from where his chin had been propped up on his lover’s shoulder, grunts in agreement. “I know we should be getting your mind off of Baekhyun, but he once told me that life is only a path full of efforts.” Chanyeol smiles at this, it seemed that the redhead’s intellect wasn’t just for wisecracking. “So even if you make a wrong turn… who knows? It could be a road that eventually leads to where you want to go. Just don’t lose sight of where you’re headed.”

Sehun bursts into claps and the speaker gives an ostentatious bow. “Jongdae here suddenly turns into a philosopher after getting tipsy. Honestly thought it would be the opposite,” Sehun says jokingly, and receives a light punch to the arm in return.

Chanyeol rolls his eyes. “It wasn’t even that deep.” He wouldn’t willingly admit it, but in truth he was grateful for his friend’s advice.

His attention shifts to a bustling Minseok, who had gotten up and was redistributing the empty beer cans to the hands of his puzzled friends. Chanyeol eyes him warily, but ends up making peace with whatever his friend was planning. They all watch as Minseok thrusts the arm up that held his can and exclaims “To Chanyeol!” with enough volume so that whoever was beyond the walls could undoubtedly hear.

The room erupts in laughter and briskly follows suit. Through the hollow clanging of cans and Sehun’s cry of “Don’t throw that at me!” Chanyeol registers that he was content. Maybe he wasn’t at a place where he could say he was truly happy and mean it, but he wholeheartedly felt at peace knowing that these people were by his side.

***

Chanyeol cranes his head around to examine the immense concert hall. People were moving in and out of their rows and others sat patiently, their voices levelled to a quiet mumbling. After a few seconds, he meets a pair of cold eyes in the front row where all the jury members sat. Despite being so afar, he shivers at the old man’s intimidating presence and turns to Minseok who looks like he was about to fall asleep.

“Man. . if I were a participant, just looking at one of those judges would have me running.”

Minseok’s sister who was on the opposite side of her brother, bends forward to nod at Chanyeol. “I know right, I wonder how my teacher felt when he competed in this.”

“How old is he anyways?” Minseok asks.

“Thirty four?” Sooyoung twirls a lock of her hair and hums in contemplation. “I believe the age limit for this is seventeen to thirty five? Most people are surprisingly young.”

Chanyeol, Minseok, and his sister Sooyoung, were at the ARD international music competition, one of the largest classical music events to be held. It normally took place in Germany, but Sooyoung informed them that the organizers decided to make it global. Last year’s competition was in Russia and they had declared then, that South Korea would hold it next. Sooyoung’s piano teacher was close to the venue owners as well as her family, so at her request they were allowed entry. Her parents were busy and Minseok was originally going to bring Jongdae along, but he had fallen sick and claimed that “It’d be boring anyways” so Chanyeol went instead.

He observes the elegant piano in the center of the dimly lit stage and excitement thrums through his body. Chanyeol could play, very little at that, but he and the instrument went way back — thus his thrill to watch the final segment and round of the competition.

Minseok tuts in impatience. “When is this gonna start? My butt is starting to ache.”

Sooyoung glares at him. “It’ll hurt more if you complain again.” Ignoring the scoff from her brother, she turns to Chanyeol with a sweet smile. “Don’t worry, it’ll begin soon.”

Sure enough, more stage beams flickered on and shone a circle of light onto the piano and the area it encompassed, making it the most attention grabbing object in the expansive room.

_“Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for the wait. We will now be introducing our first contestant to the stage. Byun Baekhyun, with Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2.”_

Chanyeol stiffens and feels his breath leave him at the sight of the figure that strode onstage.

_Wait what?_

A ripple of silence falls across the audience, but their attention immediately perks up.

Chanyeol could sense the question that Minseok wanted to ask him at the mention of the familiar name. But he wouldn’t dare look away, nor could he budge a single limb. Everything that surrounded him dwindled away into oblivion. The pianist — with his dainty fingers that Chanyeol swears is engraved into his memory — gracefully descends his hands to the keys and begins his piece.

***

_In . . out . . in . . out . . in . ._

Baekhyun’s eyes were closed and he tries to keep his breathing steady. It was just another competition, another race whose finish line was in reach if only he could focus. His heart was at full sprint, beating at a rhythm that differed strikingly to the one he was trying to attain.

Kai, his close friend and violinist, taps his arm. “Baekhyun? They’re going to announce you soon.” Waving a hand in front of his friend’s face, he smiles when the pianist keeps his eyes shut. “I’m sure you’ve practiced more than enough for this, even with everything that’s been going on.”

And Baekhyun had. For countless hours. So much that when he played, he felt that the piano swallowed him up in a madness of rapid notes and dulcet melodies that could only be escaped by finishing the piece. But to do well he would have to control the composition, not the other way around.

Baekhyun had won a handful of competitions before, but this was on a scale that he once believed was out of reach. The international exposure it promised, the sense of achievement he’d be able to carry and invalidate those who doubted him. . that’s what he wanted most _. Wasn’t it?_

Finally opening his eyes, he squints from the intrusion of brightness. He peers down at his hands, too much in a trance to register Kai walking off after wishing him good luck.

What did he want from this anyways? A question he asked himself to no end and countless times he would remember the way _he_ had looked at him. Without notice, the emotions he felt that night floods back to him in an almost palpable way.

Baekhyun hears the announcer’s voice and at the summon of his name, his feet start moving at its own will and carries him out from the safety of the backstage area. Walking onstage, he’s barely aware of the clicking noises his loafers make against the floor’s hard surface.

By some miracle Baekhyun finds himself standing beside the grand piano, with no trips or falls on the way. The bench that sat by the instrument seemed to beckon him to sit down and the pianist succumbs to its temptation.

_Why are you doing this? What do you want?_

He casts those thoughts to the secluded parts of his mind and begins playing.

The first couple of notes were a gateway to an elegant spiral of madness and grace. Such a piece was Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2. Today was different though. Baekhyun wasn’t fully immersed in Liszt’s work, because all he could see and feel was the energy of that night.

 _“This is why.”_ He repeats the words he’d spoken all those years ago and concentrates on hitting the right keys.

_This one’s for you._

***

Chanyeol’s mouth was agape in incredulity. He couldn’t comprehend how it was humanly possible to play the way Baekhyun was doing now. And it wasn’t just him who was utterly captivated. The entire audience was enthralled by the way he was slamming the keys on the piano, as if he himself were its creator.  

Sure Baekhyun mentioned that he played, but _not_ the fact that he played like some prodigy.

He admires the way the lights shone on the redhead’s hair, it burned brighter and made him a fiery sight to behold. Baekhyun was dressed in a formal suit that hugged his slim figure and it accentuated his whole body’s movements when he brought his hands down. Chanyeol thinks that the true art was with the pianist, not the piece.

A flurry of powerful notes concludes the performance and a roar of applause thunders from the crowd. Baekhyun tilts his head back and absorbs the cheers. A smile so genuine graces his lips that Chanyeol feels weakened by the sight. He gathers up the energy to clap and watches as the pianist gives a small bow and leaves the stage.  

A whistle of amazement sounds from his right and Chanyeol looks at his friend who wore an expression that mirrored his own.

“That. . actually saved my life.”

“As expected of Byun Baekhyun,” Sooyoung pipes in, and Chanyeol raises a brow. “You see, his whole family is well known in the whole classical musicians world,” she explains, “His brother even came in first place for the violin category.”

Chanyeol feels a pang of sadness when he remembers how uncomfortable the redhead got at the mention of his family. The pressure to make a name for yourself without it being linked to your sibling’s achievements must be burdening, he thinks.   

The rest of the contestants went on, but Chanyeol was hardly interested. After Baekhyun had gone, all the performances felt so _dull_. He hoped that Baekhyun would place high, his playing definitely deserved it.  

Afterwards, the results were announced and Baekhyun ended up second, along with a woman in her thirties.

Chanyeol was still in shock when they exited the concert hall, from Baekhyun’s passionate performance and the placements. The winner’s playing was the one he deemed most boring and even Sooyoung agreed. But the way Baekhyun played left an imprint on Chanyeol, making a buried feeling resurface after many years. He was able to feel the emotions that poured out of the pianist like a tidal wave, and the way they rolled onto the keys he pressed.  

Even now as he stands outside the large venue, watching a stream of people exit to the parking lot, Baekhyun’s playing was on a continuous loop in his mind.

Chanyeol turns to Minseok and his sister, who were busy arguing over who the better kid was — probably a debate they’ve had for the hundredth or so time. “I need to find the bathroom, I’ll meet with you guys in a bit.” They nod at him and Chanyeol walks off, desperately needing to clear his mind and do his business.

Thankfully, the restrooms were close by and all Chanyeol needed to do was walk past a couple planters that decorated the side of the building.

He makes his way to the bathroom door and double checks the gender sign to assure himself that he had the right one. Too many unfortunate incidents were the consequence of him being in a rush. But before Chanyeol could push it open, the door swings into him and he stumbles backwards with a shout.

A panicked voice sounds from behind the door. “Oh gosh I’m really sorry—” Chanyeol freezes at its familiarity the same time the man does.

He wants to crack up as he watches Baekhyun shut the door, cheeks aflame and an apology written in his eyes.

“Why does this feel oddly like deja-vu?” Chanyeol asks, and he lets out the laugh he’d been holding in.

Baekhyun joins him in laughter and his one-of-a-kind eye smile makes Chanyeol’s heart leap into his throat.

“I was thinking the same thing. We seem to have a thing for meeting each other in the weirdest times,” he jokes, and motions for Chanyeol to join him on the planter bench. “I’m kinda surprised to see you here, did you watch me play?”

Chanyeol could rant all day about how stunning his playing was and how smitten he’d become with the other in a short period of time, but he bites his tongue and forces himself to respond casually. “I did and gosh Baekhyun, that was single-handedly the best performance I’ve ever seen.”

He almost cringes once the words leave his mouth, so much for responding casually.

Baekhyun’s face was blank for a moment, before breaking into a winsome smile. He looks down shyly and murmurs a _thank you._

 _Cute,_ Chanyeol thinks.  

“You told me before that you played, but _wow_ that was something else entirely” he says, and Baekhyun giggles at the way his eyes widen for emphasis. “You moved across the keys with so much passion, it’s honestly shocking how you didn’t get awarded first.” Chanyeol wasn’t even close to exaggerating, he was still bewildered as to why the jury awarded Baekhyun second with his jaw-dropping artistry.

Baekhyun sighs and purses his lips. “I’m pretty disappointed myself, but I know I made a couple mistakes.” His easy laughs and sunny smiles didn’t convey frustration, but Chanyeol knew that coming so close to winning in a such a prestigious competition must hurt.

Chanyeol looks softly at the redhead and their eyes lock on to each other like magnets. “Regardless of your errors, I’d say your performance was the most memorable, so try not to stay hung up on what happened in the past.” He gives the pianist’s shoulder a comforting squeeze and Baekhyun could feel his cheeks warm up.

Baekhyun slaps the taller’s hand away playfully and tries to refrain himself from cupping his face in order to cool it. “Why are you always so sincere? I don’t know whether to be flustered or pray that no one breaks your heart,” he teases, and gives Chanyeol a joking wink. It was then that Chanyeol discovers it’s possible to choke on air, much to Baekhyun’s entertainment.

After Chanyeol recovers — which took no less than a few seconds — he notices that Baekhyun’s dark orbs were trained on him and his lips were ever so slightly parted, like they were getting ready to say something. The redhead sees Chanyeol staring and he quickly glances away. Finally, he looks back at the taller and holds his gaze. Chanyeol wonders if he just battled through some internal conflict.

“What you said meant a lot,” Baekhyun says quietly, “And I’m glad I was able to give you a good show.”

He clears his throat and feigns a sophisticated tone of voice. “As Beethoven once said, to play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable.”

He reaches into a satchel that Chanyeol wasn’t aware was next to him, and pulls out a silver medal strung on a solid blue ribbon.

Baekhyun watches the way the metal glints under the sun’s rays with a bittersweet smile. “Although in competitions mistakes can’t be considered trivial, I’m glad I don’t play without passion.” Baekhyun pauses and Chanyeol admires how the redhead has a tendency to ponder over his words before speaking. “There has to be a balance of ability and ardor, and I’m still working on the former. But to me, skill will only get you so far, while your love for something is kinda like a constant. And hearing you think that’s also what’s more important. .  is just nice to hear.”

Chanyeol was at a loss for words. Baekhyun was practically a modern day renaissance man and his way of speaking was so intelligent. The pianist had all the things that were a major turn on.

“Uh earth to Chanyeol?”

Chanyeol blinks and takes note of the hand waving in front of his face. He looks sheepishly at Baekhyun who chuckles.

“Sorry did that make no sense? I was hoping it did, with you also being a music student and all.”

Chanyeol shakes his hands in front of him. “No sorry, but your love for piano is so. . clear.” At the redhead’s puzzled expression he hurries to explain what he means. “I-It’s not a bad thing, it’s just really impressive. And I share your opinion on how feeling music is well, the best part about it. After all, the language of music is understood everywhere, I’m not going to listen to something with no story behind it.”

“Couldn’t have put it better myself,” Baekhyun says, and his eyes were glittering. Chanyeol looks at those half-moons and they share a smile.

“You know, I tried getting back into songwriting recently.”

“Ooh how’d that go?”

Chanyeol just shrugs and Baekhyun softly punches his side. “What do you mean by _this_ ,” he says, and exaggeratedly raises his shoulders. Chanyeol chokes back a laugh and flicks the other’s nose.  

Baekhyun pouts. “Come on, tell me,” he whines, and waves his hand around in a signal to get the taller to elaborate.

“But there’s nothing much to say,” Chanyeol protests. It wasn’t like he was going to tell the other that he had stuff written about him. “I wish it’d go better but it’s uhm. . okay?”

Baekhyun’s mouth twitches upwards and he mocks Chanyeol’s “okay?” which earns him a simper from the taller.

“To be honest it’s kinda crap right now,” Chanyeol acknowledges, and Baekhyun laughs.

“Why do you always stare at me after I laugh?” he asks, “I know it’s loud and all, but does it sound weird?”

Chanyeol blushes. “Of course not, it’s more of the opposite. Whenever you laugh it just sounds. . well. . musical?”

Baekhyun snorts. “Well I am a musician and you’re a horrible flirt.” He giggles at Chanyeol’s offended expression. “I’m kidding, in fact you’d be pretty good at flirting with those looks if only you don’t choke everytime someone winks at you.”

Chanyeol turns bright red at the compliment but a frown crosses his face when he hears the last part. “Hey, that’s only because I wasn’t expecting it.”

“Whatever you say,” Baekhyun sing songs. “Okay but if you were to rate your songwriting on a scale of one to ten, one being the worst, how bad are we talking about?”

“I’d give it a solid negative.”

Baekhyun leans back in laughter and Chanyeol adores the way his pretty features relax into a vision of unrestrained joy.

“Pssh, it can’t be that bad,” Baekhyun whines, but he tugs at his bottom lip to keep a straight face.

“Please, whenever I write, it ends up sounding like I went on a whole tangent or something similar to a cheesy love song.” Chanyeol thinks back to Sehun and his obsession with girl groups and he nearly groans. “Plus the melody never sticks in my head because my dorm mate is always around to blast girl group songs.”

“Hmph, I actually like cheesy love songs. . they're always catchy,” Baekhyun admits, with an embarrassed grin.

Chanyeol bursts into uncontrolled laughter. “You aren’t wrong.”

A piercing chirp comes from over their heads and they both turn to the noise. A flock of bluebirds dart into the sky at the same time a gentle breeze rustles through near barren trees. While Baekhyun stares fixedly at the colorful specks cutting through the air, Chanyeol shifts his attention to the smaller. The wind pinkened his cheeks and was lifting his red curls off his forehead. Chanyeol was never someone to be concerned about appearances, but the word _“beautiful”_ pops into his head.

In the midst of the peacefulness, Chanyeol seems to remember why he was there and he gets up as Baekhyun receives a phone call. Baekhyun takes a glimpse at the caller name and he looks back at Chanyeol. The taller sees a shadow pass over his eyes.

“Are you leaving?”

“Oh no, I’ll be back,” Chanyeol reassures him, and points with his thumb to the bathroom door. He gets a short nod from Baekhyun, but he hesitates to leaves him. Chanyeol tells himself that the call is none of his business and leaves the smaller.

The sound of running water is soothing, Chanyeol thinks, and he takes a look at his reflection in the cracked mirror. The man staring back at him wore a happy smile, but if his mirror image were to speak, it’d call Chanyeol a fool. Baekhyun was pretty much his ideal guy and it’s a shame that he was taken. But Chanyeol also knew that good people like him don’t always come by, so they might as well stay friends. Turning the faucet off, he closes his eyes with a sigh and wonders if the pianist was finished with his call.

Stepping out, he wasn’t prepared for the sight that greeted him.

Baekhyun was focused on an empty space in the air between them and his phone lay still in front of his feet. His eyes were red rimmed and carried barely contained anger.

Chanyeol slowly approaches the heavily breathing man whose slender hands were balled into trembling fists.

“Baekhyun. . you’re going to be okay. . what happen-”

Baekhyun's neck snaps up and his eyes flash dangerously. “ _Stop._ Don’t bother telling me that everything’s going to be fine, I’m sick and tired of that bullshit.” His voice was steadily increasing in volume and Chanyeol feels terrified, he never expected to see this side of him.

“What’s wrong,” Chanyeol whispers.

“What’s wrong?” Baekhyun scoffs, and in that moment, whatever mask of coping he had on  completely shatters.

“People see me and think ‘wow he’s good looking’. They say ‘oh look at him, doesn’t he play the piano well?’ You probably think that too. But there are so many people that are like me, _better_ than me. I’m just someone that can be cast aside if others don’t like what they see. How is that okay? How is it okay to never feel like you’ve done enough, to never _be_ enough for anyone? Tell me… please.” Baekhyun’s voice cracks at his plea and tears threaten to spill down his face.

Chanyeol’s throat felt constricted and he couldn’t get a single word out. The other man whose liveliness was all he’d ever saw, had his defenses stripped away in salty tears. It was painful.

He steps closer to reach out to the smaller, but Baekhyun moves back. “Forget it. . I need to go,” he says, and picks up his phone which was now cracked at the edges.

Chanyeol’s vision was blurring and he didn’t know why. It was either because the pianist’s pain felt like an open wound or his words struck something in him. A piece of his past that took years to bury. Probably both.

“Don’t leave Baekhyun. Don’t leave to cry alone when we can talk this out.”

Chanyeol sees Baekhyun falter in his steps so he presses harder. “I don’t claim to know your life and what you’ve been through, but whatever it is, it’s not something you’re by yourself to deal with. Stay and I’ll help you, I promise.”

Chanyeol stares at him with an imploring look, raw emotion filling both their eyes in addition to tears. The contact doesn't last long though, since Baekhyun turns to peer sightlessly behind Chanyeol and smiles sadly to himself. “When someone picks up shards of broken glass. . they’re bound to get cut.”

With that, Baekhyun leaves. And Chanyeol lets him.

***

Six days pass since their last encounter and Chanyeol would say his life was back to normal, but it’s anything but. Whether it involved his studies, songwriting, breaks — all his thoughts were consumed by Baekhyun. The way he held back his tears, how he made the piano his own, his constant teasing of Chanyeol, and just him in general. There was something about the man that reeled Chanyeol in like a fishing pole. From the very first time they met and the moments after. It’s an unfamiliar feeling, one he can’t escape, but he doesn’t fight it.

Everyday he’d gone searching for the redhead at the dog center, and every time they’d inform him that Baekhyun wasn’t there. To say Chanyeol was confused would be an understatement. He had no clue about what happened or its cause. All he did know was that one moment Baekhyun was being his playful self, and the next he looked like someone had chucked his composure completely out the window. The change happened so fast and was entirely unexpected. Although when Chanyeol thinks back, he wouldn’t be able to say that there hadn’t been any signs. He suspects that Baekhyun’s breakdown was the explosive result of a build up long overdue.

He had yet to discuss about it to anyone and his worries were overflowing. Even Kyungsoo tapped his shoulder mid-lecture and asked if he was alright. Chanyeol responded with a thumbs up that was way too forced. His friends obviously took notice of his stress and tried persuading him time after time to go out with them, but Chanyeol had turned down each offer. But on the seventh day of his sulking, through persistent spamming of texts and knocks on his door, he eventually gives in.

Standing in a line full of chattering people, Chanyeol regrets his decision to go outside. His choice of clothing did absolutely nothing to shield him from the chilly night air. He wore a deep red bomber over a simple muscle tee that exposed his goosebump covered arms to cold fabric. Only his legs were warm since he didn’t have time to change out of his jeans.

Originally he was going to wear something more snug, but Sehun had manhandled him back to their room after taking one look at Chanyeol’s button up. According to his fashionable friend, he’d resembled some chic frat boy.

They were at a new club named _The Lost Planet_ that supposedly had an outer space theme. Jongdae had been reluctant to go because he thought it’d just be a hangout for lonely nerds or people obsessed with Star Wars, but here he was bouncing up and down excitedly.

Even Chanyeol was anticipating going in. Based on the building’s exterior, the place used high technology and the line was long so he assumed it was popular.

Just when Chanyeol thinks he’s going to freeze to death, the massive bouncers in front of them move aside to allow entry. Walking in, he hears his friends gasp simultaneously.

Inside, the club was full of dry-ice smoke. The floor emitted a faint neon blue and it dipped into a dance floor, an area of black tiles with lights imbedded in them to mimic stars. Past the blue, fuschia, and acid green lasers that flashed over the ground, Chanyeol sees a booth section occupied with couples making out; their passionate actions blocked only by illuminated tables to their front. The place was in no way tacky and he’s impressed, more so when he notices the dark galaxy that lit up the ceiling.

He turns to Sehun who was already bobbing along to the music. “Where are Dae and Minseok?” he asks, and scans the room. “Did we lose them already?”

“Nah, somehow they already found the bar. I think it’s Jongdae’s sixth sense. . let’s go join them.”

They push past groups of inebriated dancers to get to a crowded bar area. Chanyeol stops to eyeball the fluorescent drinks and the flair bartender’s dexterous bottle tricks.

“Woah this place is nice, they even have a coat and bag check,” Sehun praises, and points to a dark corner filled with long jackets and bags of all sizes. Chanyeol would say it seems unsafe if it weren’t for the stern looking man that guarded the area. “I’m gonna go put my stuff there, did you bring anything?”

Chanyeol pats the pockets at his side. “Don’t worry I’m keeping it all in my jacket, or yours I should say. Thanks for letting me borrow it.”

“Just doing my duty as your stylist,” Sehun quips, and he gives Chanyeol a broad grin before walking off.

When Sehun returns, the two rest their legs on sleek stools and order drinks. Chanyeol gets a tropical mojito and asks for less alcohol, much to his chagrin and his friend’s laughter.

Afterwards, they slip among the others on the dance floor, which was considerably more packed than when they’d entered. Sehun had always been a natural at garnering attention and he shows this fact off as he sways his body in fluid, yet sharp motions. He didn’t dance to show off, to make the girls watch — but they did. Chanyeol on the other hand was nowhere near as good as his friend, but it wasn’t like he was stiff as a rock. He just prefers to let go and feel the beat.

They get a couple winks and low whistles, and Chanyeol reciprocates by flashing a grin for the fun of it. Jongdae and Minseok eventually join them and soon, they’re dominating the dance floor. Sehun and Minseok were moving their limbs in a perfect rhythm, Jongdae was going wild hyping them up, and Chanyeol was just enjoying himself. He feels lighthearted and the adrenaline takes his body to a paradise, away from the troubles of his mind.

An hour or two passes and Chanyeol thinks it’s a quarter past midnight. He’d taken a couple breaks to cool off and rest his feet, but he was back on the floor which was vibrating with bass notes. His body felt heavy and he shuts his eyes, relishing in the beat that pulsated through his body.

The song switches from an electro dance mix to a smooth r&b. Chanyeol sees couples and random strangers come together to start moving against each other. He slowly shuffles away from the crowd of people, but stops when a soft body presses into his.

He turns to look at the person squeezed against him and right then, if someone were to ask Chanyeol what his name was, he wouldn’t have been in a functional state to answer. This is because Byun Baekhyun was staring up at him with hooded eyes, looking like the very definition of the word sinful.

His eyes were darkened with kohl and they were brushed with a reddish brown color that Chanyeol had to squint to see in the midst of the blinking lights. The top buttons were undone on Baekhyun’s navy blue blouse and it revealed his porcelain collars. The material itself was satiny and it hung loosely over his lithe form. Chanyeol’s mouth dries alarmingly fast as he trails his focus down to the smaller’s lower body. Tight leather pants gripped his plush thighs and it’s a wonder he could even move in them. Then it hits him, the object of his worries for the past few days, was _right in front of him._

“Baekhyun…” he begins, but it’s almost as if Baekhyun could read his concerns when he presses a slender digit to Chanyeol’s lips and pushes in with a tiny shake of his head.

“Let’s just dance.”

All protests leave his mind when Baekhyun hooks a leg around his, to close any distance. The redhead travels his hand up Chanyeol’s nape and the taller shivers. Baekhyun starts swaying his hips and before Chanyeol could savor the overwhelming friction, the smaller pulls away to move on his own. But his eyes never leave Chanyeol’s; they were clouded, with too much to drink or something else, Chanyeol couldn’t decipher.

Graceful, everything Baekhyun did was graceful. Every movement he made with his body was well-controlled, but so sensual. Chanyeol notices a pendant hanging from Baekhyun’s neck that rested on his uncovered chest. It complemented his swaying, the stone catching and refracting the lights that twirled above.

Before Chanyeol knew it, he was matching Baekhyun’s moves and the pianist’s eyes were hungrily roaming across his body, observing — with no hint of judgement. Chanyeol feels the same way as a prey under the attention of its predator might, but he would willingly submit.

Suddenly Baekhyun is close again, so close that Chanyeol smells a whiff of his fragrance. The redhead’s scent was distinctly citrus. . yet sweet. It was a perfect balance of the two and unexpectedly refreshing, even with the sweat that glistened on his skin.

Chanyeol gasps as Baekhyun’s hand slips into his unzipped jacket and teasingly flits his fingers over his bicep. The light touches burned his skin, but not in a way that was harmful no, but a burn that left him wanting more. Chanyeol can’t help it when he shudders from the contact and instinctively places his hand to the small of Baekhyun’s back and pulls him past the sliver of space between their heated bodies.

The club is electric tonight, everyone feeding off the smiles and fast dancing, but it all faded away as the two felt one another.

The humid air thumped with music, masking the beats of Chanyeol’s pulse when he lets his hands tentatively graze across Baekhyun’s curves. His mind was all fuzzy and they were both panting, but he hears the broken cry that escapes the smaller. Chanyeol focuses on Baekhyun’s pouty lips and he resists the urge to lean in. He honestly felt like this was all an illusion, a dream his brain sent him to mitigate his stress. Because he just can’t comprehend how the man grinding on him was the same person he watched play the piano with such refinement, the same person who frolics with dogs like a five year old.

But the redhead lifts himself off his toes to whisper into Chanyeol’s ear and he jolts back to reality when he feels Baekhyun’s warm breath against his skin. “You look so damn good tonight… I know you're a musician but I didn't think you’d also be such a great dancer.”

Chanyeol would scoff and flirt back telling Baekhyun that he should be giving that compliment to himself, but the smaller’s words were incredibly slurred and his feet were starting to stagger. “How much did you drink?” Chanyeol worriedly asks, and holds Baekhyun tighter in an effort to stabilize him.

Baekhyun wiggles out of Chanyeol’s hold, but he doesn’t get the chance to respond. Chanyeol spots a drunk woman teetering side to side and before she could crash into them, he grabs Baekhyun’s wrist and yanks him aside.

The redhead flinches and groans painfully. Chanyeol peers down to where his hand was wrapped around Baekhyun’s wrist and he nearly exclaims at what he sees. Dark red and purple bruises decorated his skin and Chanyeol hastily pushes Baekhyun’s sleeve up. Another set of colorful marks were unmistakable on his arm.

Chanyeol’s worry has skyrocketed and he wants to pull Baekhyun out of the club for an explanation, but the smaller softly calls his name and slumps tiredly into his chest. Chanyeol lets him stay there, but he was internally panicking.

_Where are those bruises from? Did he fall? Was it something else? How did I fail to notice them?_

His thoughts are interrupted when he senses Baekhyun’s knees buckling, and Chanyeol scoops him up bridal style before he could hit the ground.  

Maybe some higher power was watching over them, because Chanyeol’s friends pass them at that very moment and Sehun smiles at Chanyeol with a happy-go-lucky expression. However, it morphs into one of concern as he notices an unconscious Baekhyun in Chanyeol’s arms.

Sehun nudges Jongdae and Minseok to get their attention and soon, they’re rushing over to Chanyeol’s side and questions are being thrown at him in a nervous panic. Chanyeol’s mind felt like static and his friends’ voices combined with the booming music were just too much.

“Guys listen to me, Baekhyun just passed out. From alcohol or something else, I really have no clue, but we have to get him home.” He searches their worried faces and stares hopefully at Jongdae. “I can call up a taxi and accompany him, do you know where he lives?”

To everyone’s relief, Jongdae nods. “I have his address somewhere in our texts after this time I had to return something to him. It’s his brother’s place actually.”

“His brother’s place?” Chanyeol repeats quizzically, and his friend motions for them to move off the dance floor.

“He says it was a recent move, but didn’t give any details.” Jongdae grabs his arm and directs them to the bag check. “That’s not important though, let’s just get him home safely.”

Chanyeol grunts in agreement and shifts the boy in his arms so that his head rested comfortably in the crook of Chanyeol’s neck, red curls tickling the underside of his chin. The pianist was out like a light and Chanyeol would have joked about the situation if it’d been with anyone else. His questions about Baekhyun were already abundant, but by now they were practically battering his mind.

They approach the unsmiling worker from earlier and Minseok gestures to Baekhyun. “He’s unconscious right now, do you remember if he brought any items here?”

The man shakes his head and while Chanyeol hears his friends groan exasperatedly, his curiosity pikes when he brushes his fingers against a slight bump in Baekhyun’s pants from where his hand supported his thighs. He curiously slides into the pocket and nearly cheers at the discovery of a wrinkled ticket.

He hands it to the man and Sehun fishes through the satchel they’re given. Chanyeol remembers it to be the one Baekhyun pulled his medal out of. He highly doubts he’d be able to forget any details about that day.

“No car keys. . hmm a phone. .wallet. .” Sehun stops rummaging and triumphantly lifts up a house key. “Perfect,” he cries with a beam.

“Yo Chanyeol, there’s a taxi outside right now.” Jongdae glances at the sleeping boy and meets Chanyeol’s tired eyes. “Are you sure you two are gonna be alright?”

“We’ll be fine mom, I’ll see you guys tomorrow. You've all helped a ton,” Chanyeol thanks, and he looks pointedly at Minseok before adding, “Make sure he doesn’t drink too much.”

Minseok gives him a wink and Chanyeol leaves the animated buzz of the club. He abandons the blaring music accompanied by Jongdae’s whines for the cool rush of cars and the quietude of twinkling city lights. While both worlds were bursting with life, a mysterious beauty lay dozed off in Chanyeol’s arms.

***

Chanyeol drops to the carpeted floor with an exhausted sigh, the temptation to rest his bone-tired limbs almost too strong to resist.

Tilting his head up, he sees Baekhyun sleeping soundly on a couch next to him. Transferring his weight to where he’s on his knees, he ever so carefully places his elbows on the edge of the furniture.

Brushing a flattened curl away from the redhead’s face, Chanyeol observes the man’s delicate features. Usually indicative of his wide range of emotions, tonight they were eased into a serene state. The lips he’d been so close to claiming were set in a permanent pout and Chanyeol smiles. Even with makeup smudged around his eyelids and his hair a mess, Baekhyun was still beautiful.

His eyes meander down to the the pianist’s arm and the bruises that glared back at him with their deeply pronounced colors. Chanyeol feels a sharp pain in his chest and he cradles the arm against Baekhyun’s stomach, so it lay untouched.

He’d gotten to the house about five minutes ago and needless to say, he was shocked. The place covered a big piece of land and both the inside and outer yards were extremely tidy. No one was home and only minimal furniture decorated the interior, save for a few wilted houseplants. Zero frames of family pictures. Even though the house was huge it felt so unlived in and desolate, to the point where Chanyeol felt sorry that Baekhyun was staying there. The only object remotely “Baekhyun” so to speak, was the grand piano in the middle of the living room. Sheets of music were scattered on its top and Chanyeol recognized some songs by Yiruma, his favorite composer.

After plopping the smaller on the couch, Chanyeol debated whether he should stay or go, as it didn’t sit right with him to unwelcomingly linger in someone’s house. But what would he do? Just take off without giving an explanation to Baekhyun? His head quickly cleared up the fogginess from the drinks he’d had and guilt flowed into its place. Chanyeol honestly thinks he’d rather deal with the alcohol. He doesn’t know what insanity drove him to dance with Baekhyun, but he did know the other was taken. So why did Baekhyun flirt with him? Chanyeol tries to suppress those constant stream of thoughts, because what mattered most was that Baekhyun was hurt. Chanyeol hopes that the marks on his arm weren’t there for the reason he thinks. They made him feel dizzy, saddened, anxious. They made him remember.

Chanyeol gets up on his numb legs and wobbly moves to a cushioned arm chair. Closing his eyes briefly, he reopens them to take a look at the sleeping man. He was undoubtedly gorgeous, almost to an aesthetic standard.

Chanyeol doesn’t register how long he spends observing Baekhyun, his eyes growing heavier and heavier, until eventually they flutter shut to welcome another world.

He’s back at _The Lost Planet_ , but his feet weren't touching the ground. His body feels suspended, loose, like parts of him were floating around in aerospace, yet connected by some invisible thread. The music was deafening and Chanyeol didn’t hear it — he could feel it. It was hitting him in different areas, his softened bones still solid enough to rattle under the beat. He was underwater, ears clogged under the pressure, but could make out the flashing strobe lights from beneath the reflective surface.

Then he hears it. . a noise. . it’s haunting in the most alluring way possible. He needs more— Koko? Huh. .  what was he doing here? Chanyeol lurches forward to chase after the familiar looking corgi who dashes straight into the dance floor. But he’s immobilized. The eerie noise surges in its tempo and Chanyeol pitches to his knees as his body snaps back together, like a rubber band as it’s being shot across a room. He inhales with a stutter and regains control over his senses again, but why was he in an alley? Wait, he knows this place. . but there’s something missing. He hears it again, unambiguous this time — the rippling, flowing pressing of keys on a crumbling piano. Suddenly he’s there, black strands of hair masking his face, but it belongs to a young boy Chanyeol knows like the back of his hand. The boy whose sequence of notes were letting him breathe moves closer and Chanyeol reaches out; his fingertips start curling and shaking when he feels an unknown force begin dragging him backwards. But he can’t say his goodbyes yet, he can’t part with the boy who was beckoning him with faint calls of his name. “Chanyeol. . Chanyeol. .” Another sound is produced, the sound of stone hitting glass, and he screams.

“Chanyeol?”

His eyes flicker open and Baekhyun is standing above him, staring at him in what looked like concern, confusion, or a shred of fear? Perhaps all three?

“Y-you were yelling. Are you okay?”

Currently stuck in a daze from his bizarre dream, Chanyeol just inclines his head. That or he doesn’t trust himself to speak after the shock of waking up to the sight of Baekhyun hovering in front of his face.

Baekhyun’s furrowed brows lose some of their tension and he shuffles back. “That’s good,” he says, and with an afterthought he adds, “Also I’m assuming you brought me here. . dunno how though, but thank you.”

“Maybe I should get going?” Chanyeol slowly suggests, but glancing at a window he sees the sky is still pitch-black.

Baekhyun lets out a huff of disbelief. “It’s the middle of the night right now, are you crazy? Stay.”

The redhead’s vibrant hair was subdued in the darkness and he walks over to switch on a light. Once they can see each other without any strain, Baekhyun seats himself on the couch and gestures for Chanyeol to join him.

“Aren’t you. . hungover?” Chanyeol asks skeptically, once next to the smaller. “I guess my sleep talking was loud because you seemed like you drank a ton and I’d be a goner if I were you.”

“I think you mean sleep yelling.” Baekhyun’s mouth curves up the slightest bit, but the smile doesn't reach his eyes. “The last thing I remember is passing out on you, but I don’t recall drinking that much. . I was just really tired these past few weeks.”

Chanyeol doesn’t know where to begin. Should he ask why he was tired? Should he bring up the last time they talked? It didn’t feel appropriate so he studies the pianist’s movements in silence. Baekhyun’s fingers were fidgeting in his lap and he eventually turns to the taller with an unreadable expression.

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun whispers quietly, and Chanyeol knows he wasn’t referring to what happened at the club.

“You don’t have to apologize for anything. And I’m also not asking for you to explain yourself.” His reply was immediate and Baekhyun’s eyes widen like he was expecting Chanyeol to be bitter with him, but as a matter of fact, Chanyeol was mad at himself. “I didn’t mean to make things worse for you that day. All I wanted to know was how I could help.”

Baekhyun doesn’t respond and instead concentrates on a wall. His lips were tight, but his gaze wasn't harsh, like he was searching for words or restraining himself from uttering them.

Chanyeol was dying with each passing second and he finally disturbs the nagging silence. “So. . this is your brother’s home? Jongdae said so.”  

“Yeah it is.” And that was it.

Baekhyun’s focus transfers to his bruised arm and he catches Chanyeol staring at it also. In a swift motion, he tugs his sleeve to where it stopped at his knuckles. He looks away, flustered.

Before Chanyeol could ask for his forgiveness, Baekhyun rotates his body to reface the taller and he drops his head to Chanyeol’s shoulder with a long sigh. Chanyeol was stunned and the contact jerked at his heartstrings.

“You’re probably curious about a crap ton of things and don’t get me wrong. . I want to talk about them too, just not at the moment.” Baekhyun’s dark eyes were enreating and they relax when Chanyeol nods.

Chanyeol fully understands the other’s wishes and he would never force Baekhyun to cross his comfort zone. And even if Chanyeol couldn’t get the redhead to speak, the least he could do is make an effort to see him smile.

“About tonight . . I wasn’t expecting to see such a prestigious musician at a club. I can’t imagine how those judges would’ve felt if they saw the way you dance,” Chanyeol jokes, and Baekhyun ganders at him, a muted blush and the hint of a dimple spreading over his face.

“The two worlds aren’t all that different actually,” Baekhyun says after a beat, and Chanyeol is baffled, but Baekhyun continues. “Sure there’s a contrast in the adrenaline that kicks in from clubbing versus the thrill you get after perfecting a piece. . but they’re both getaways for me.”

The last part is mumbled in an undertone and Chanyeol for the nth time, doesn’t know what to say. He wasn’t anticipating that sort of answer and what he imagined, or hoped for, was to see a piece of the redhead’s cheery self. The one that was fluent in the language of teasing and quick-wit. Yet at the same time, Chanyeol was growing fonder of this Baekhyun — he felt realer, more vulnerable.

Baekhyun coughs and looks nervously at a hushed Chanyeol. “Sorry. . when it’s late I don’t think twice about what I say and my mouth just runs off without a filter.”

Chanyeol lets out a bark of laughter and Baekhyun frowns. “Uh what’s so funny?”

“That you’re out here apologizing while I’m thinking it’s nice to actually hear someone talk about themselves. I’m so used to being apart of superficial conversations . . so this isn’t something I get to experience often.”

It’s Baekhyun’s turn to fall mute and Chanyeol smiles at his sudden shyness. He watches as the redhead strolls over to the piano and folds his arms over the top. Against the night and bathed in warm light, with droopy eyes which were tired but considerably shinier than before, Baekhyun has Chanyeol entranced. Chanyeol thinks it’d be nice to have photographic memory, because Baekhyun was the type of beauty whose every action was art.

“Chanyeol. .” Baekhyun starts, and said man snaps out of his stupor. “I normally don’t speak this way to others. I don’t tell them things. Even the last time we met I was surprised by how much I could relate to you. You’ve always just seemed like the type of person who’ll listen.”

Chanyeol makes his way over to Baekhyun’s side and places his hand over the pianist’s. Baekhyun doesn’t flinch away and Chanyeol finds endearment in how his own hand completely covered the smaller’s.

“Can I play for you?”

Baekhyun tilts his head in confusion, but keeps the contact between their hands. “You mean _this?_ ” He motions with his chin to the instrument they were touching and when Chanyeol answers with a “yes” Baekhyun moves back in astonishment. “You never told me you played the piano!”  

“You never asked?” Chanyeol retorts playfully, and he laughs at Baekhyun’s dumbfounded expression.

“Okay but what did you want to play?”

Chanyeol starts shuffling through Baekhyun’s sheet music and he holds up the ones he’d recognized from earlier. “Something by Yiruma. His songs are the only ones I know how to play that’s not Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.”

Baekhyun laughs with his whole body and Chanyeol lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding in. Seeing the smaller brighten with happiness was a sight he’d missed.

“I absolutely adore Yiruma’s work. His songs are so calming and I can never play them without thinking about past memories or feeling extreme sentiment,” Baekhyun remarks, smiling with his eyes this time.

Chanyeol responds excitedly. “Exactly! Hmm what do you think. .” He picks out two songs and holds them on either side of his face. “River Flows in You or Kiss the Rain?”

“Kiss the Rain because everyone knows how to play River Flows in You.”

Their laughter fills the lull of the night and Chanyeol plucks up the courage to start playing. With a deep breath, he positions his hands on the beginning notes and lets the song embrace him. His first notes are a bit off and the tempo isn’t where it should be, but he immediately adjusts. A minute passes and Chanyeol can only concentrate on hitting the subtle variances of the calming piece. But in his peripheral he notices Baekhyun, who was open mouthed and goggle eyed. Nervousness rushes through Chanyeol’s body and his fingers freeze.

“Why’d you stop?” Baekhyun inquires, and Chanyeol mimics the smaller’s puckered lips instead of explaining that he was the tiniest bit afraid of being judged by an _actual_ pianist.

“And why were you looking at me like you saw a ghost?” Chanyeol shoots back, and he raises his arms to deflect the light blow that Baekhyun delivers to his head.

“I’m not!” Baekhyun exclaims. He frowns and Chanyeol presses his lips together to stifle a smile. Baekhyun was cute, albeit somewhat annoyed. “I’m just. .  impressed. How did you learn to play so well?”

“My mom.” Chanyeol hears the way his voice drops and he hopes the other hadn’t detected the slight change. “She used to play this song so often that I was able to self teach myself by watching her.” He doesn’t turn to look at Baekhyun and opts for staring fixedly at the monochrome keys.

But Baekhyun picks up on the change in Chanyeol’s tone and his mouth forms a small ‘o’. “She’s not. .” Baekhyun’s voice trails off, afraid of finishing his sentence.

Chanyeol shakes his head. “She’s not, but my dad died when I was in high school from a drug overdose.” There’s a finality to his words that he prays the other would pay heed to. Thankfully, Baekhyun is perceptible as always and the conversation is forgotten.

“Can I keep playing?” Chanyeol asks, and he shoos the redhead away. “Go sit down, it makes me tense up when you’re over me like that.”

Baekhyun’s jaw drops and he lets out a scoff. “Me? Says you, who’s like ten feet taller than I am.” But he lays back down on the couch and blows a raspberry in Chanyeol’s direction. “Well get on with it Mozart,” Baekhyun teases, but he flicks his thumbs up. “Don’t be shy.”

Five minutes later and Baekhyun is fast asleep. Chanyeol closes the heavy lid of the grand piano with as little noise as he can manage, so he doesn’t wake the sleeping man. Playing the instrument after a decade was gratifying, but it was also bittersweet. The gratifying part came solely from playing for Baekhyun, and Chanyeol feels at peace when he sees the trace of a smile etched onto the smaller’s lips. He thinks about them when he dozes off, except this time he sleeps dreamlessly.

***

Chanyeol wakes with a yawn. He blinks, closes his eyes, and blinks again. Shafts of light streamed in through the window and the sky was awash in pale blues and oranges. Baekhyun’s sleeping face looked angelic and Chanyeol thinks he could get used to waking up to it more often. Groggily fishing his phone out of his pocket to check the time, he stills when he sees what’s displayed on his screen. Four missed calls from his mom.

He straightens up from where he was slouched on a chair and instantly hits call. A feeling of anxiousness shakes him out of his sleepy haze. The call isn’t answered for another two times and Chanyeol groans. _What is it this time. ._ .

Getting up, he patters around the room for a writing tool and something to scribble on. He finds a pen atop a stack of books which were collecting dust and also takes a napkin from the kitchen. He bends over a counter and quickly jots down a note that read _“I had to leave for something important and I hope you’ll understand. My number is at the bottom. P.S drink water and get plenty of rest- Chanyeol.”_

He places the note on Baekhyun’s torso so that it was unmissable. For a minute he simply stands there, too weary to greet the cool morning, and just watches the rise and fall of the redhead’s chest. The fact that he was eyeing someone sleep like a creep rings like a warning bell in Chanyeol’s head, and he briskly leaves after taking another glance at Baekhyun’s peaceful features.

Unsure of where the nearest metro station was, Chanyeol decides to take another taxi. After a half hour ride, they enter a bleak neighborhood and he pays the similarly dead beat driver before getting out.

This part of the residential district was secreted from the view of most onlookers. The streets were filled with lone industrial buildings and empty alleys. The hustle of the city area lessened around here, but so did the ease that came with it.

Chanyeol eventually stops in front of a small, paint-chipped house and rings the doorbell. No answer. He repeats this twice and still no answer. When sweat starts coating his hands and Chanyeol’s heart begins beating at an alarming rate, the door is finally opened.

A short, middle aged woman stares back at him, hair disheveled like she had woken up only seconds ago. Her complexion was exceptionally pallid and her eyes were unfocused, but not due to a lack of sleep.  

“I thought something happened,” Chanyeol snaps, and he’s growing more irritated by the minute. “Why didn’t you pick up and why did you call?”

“I don’t much remember calling,” his mother slurs, and Chanyeol grimaces at how alcohol dense her breath was.  

Peering into the house, Chanyeol sees glasses of finished or half-drinken soju scattered on a coffee table. He bites his lip and exhales with exasperation. After bottling up his irritation, Chanyeol ushers his intoxicated mother into the house and orders her to sit.

Two hours later, the house is completely clean — for the most part. After reorganizing piles of clothes and wiping down messy tables, Chanyeol revisits his old room which was now a storage space. Instead of feeling a longing nostalgia, he just feels empty. Happy moments were always accompanied by Jongdae when his parents weren’t home, and the time he’d opened up a letter to find a scholarship inside.

Afterwards, he travels to the kitchen area and sweeps his eyes around the room. He’s familiar enough with the interior to find cooking equipment and basic ingredients. He’d made hangover soup for his friends countless times, so regularly that he’d say he was a pro at it.

Pouring a cup of water, Chanyeol sets the drink on the table and pushes the hot food to his silent mom who was visibly more alert.

She accepts it without a word and Chanyeol drags out a nearby stool to sit on. He pulls out his phone and clicks his tongue when he sees his battery life was ten percent away from being dead, paired up with a barrage of messages from Sehun.

There’s a clatter of spoon hitting table and Chanyeol looks up. “So son, how have you been?”

The voice was vacant of affection and he thinks his mother only spoke to occupy the absence of chatter.

“Good.” Chanyeol glues his attention to a drab wall and doesn’t meet her eyes.

“Why are you dressed like that? Don’t uselessly waste your money on trends the way young people do these days. Were you out all night?”

Chanyeol takes a deep breath in through his nose and closes his eyelids. “It’s none of your concern, I’m an adult. Just eat.”

His mother abruptly stands up and the harsh sound of chair scraping floor has Chanyeol wincing. “Am I not your mother? Don’t speak that way to me like I’m one of your friends,” she admonishes, with a glower engraved in her face.

 _You’ve never acted like one_ , Chanyeol thinks, but he doesn’t want to start this. Every time he and his mom get together, an argument is bound to erupt. Heck the last time he visited, vases had been obliterated into glossy shards. Anger is boiling under his skin and he tries to simmer it down. So instead of answering he just gets up. “Don’t drink and finish the food. I’m leaving.”

His mother dismissively waves her hand and Chanyeol exits the house, letting the door slam shut behind him with a resounding boom.  

The welcoming weather from the morning was now long gone, and the feeble sun took privacy behind a grey cloud. Chanyeol could almost laugh at how the transformation was representative of his mood if he wasn’t so worried that it would start raining. Now that would be unfortunate considering he had yet to change out of last night’s clothes.

While he walks, he finds himself thinking about Baekhyun. Baekhyun with his many personalities and unforgettable looks. Chanyeol hopes he’d get a call from him, because the smaller was unpredictable and that made him worry. These concerns combined with his annoyance from earlier makes him kick a rock he spies on the ground, using the stone as an outlet to channel his frustrations into.

The rock skids into an alley and Chanyeol looks up, then blinks a couple times. _Oh. ._ The backstreet was red bricked and barren, a street lamp and tangled utility pole towards the end where it cut off into darkness. It was the same as it was years ago.

Chanyeol's breath hitches and he shuffles closer. There are some things missing that would complete the image branded into his mind, but he lets his memory do the work to finish the picture. A cold wind travels into the alley and he shuts his eyes and listens to the rustle of leaves. A smile plays on his lips and he remembers. Chanyeol wouldn’t be able to forget that night even if he tried. It’s what kept him going sometimes, it’s what _stopped_ him from going. What happened if it didn’t happen, he doesn’t know.

***

“Why do you keep glancing at your phone?” Sehun asks, and he clutches Chanyeol’s notebook and hits the taller’s damp hair with it. He skirts away with a snicker when his friend hisses.

Chanyeol flops onto his bed and starts mumbling incoherent words against the soft sheets.

Sehun makes a little noise of irritation and joins Chanyeol on the bed. “Seriously what’s up, you barely said hi to me when you walked in earlier.” He starts tugging at the taller’s colorful hair and hums. “That’s basically me when I see dogs. Y’know just ignore the owner and go straight to greeting the pets. Except I’m not a dog Chanyeol, so spill.”

Chanyeol pats his friend’s hand away. “It’s really nothing.”

Sehun squints at him suspiciously then shakes his head. “Nothing you say? Well ‘nothing’ my ass.” He wraps his arms around Chanyeol’s middle, ignoring his friend’s whines. Sehun had always been a cuddly person and Chanyeol was actually quite fond of his touchiness. “Do you wanna go out and grab something to eat? It’s not that late.”

Chanyeol hugs his friend back then pries his hands away. “No thanks, I’m good. Think I’m just going to get some rest now.”

“Bro what the heck. Break just started, we should be using this free time while we can,” Sehun complains, then he points to Chanyeol’s phone. “By the way, someone is calling you.”

Chanyeol scrambles off the bed and hears Sehun mutter something along the lines of “Can’t believe you’re ditching me for a booty-call.” But Sehun’s blabbering becomes background noise the instant Chanyeol hears a familiar voice down the line. “Chanyeol? Is this you?”

Chanyeol nods fervently and facepalms once he realizes that Baekhyun can’t even see him. “Yeah, this is me. How are you feeling?”

“A whole lot better than last night. Or should I say morning? Someone kept me up with their playing.” Baekhyun’s teasing voice always brought butterflies to Chanyeol’s stomach and he lets out a breathless laugh even though he was hardly moving.

“Hey, I’m the reason you got home in the first place.” There’s a pause and Chanyeol wonders if the smaller was still on the call. “Baekhyun. . ?”

“Oh yeah sorry, I was just thinking. And I know, I’m really grateful. That’s kinda the reason I called actually.” There’s a faint swishing and Chanyeol wonders what Baekhyun was up to. “Are you free to grab coffee tomorrow? I wanna treat you after you had to put up with my emotional and drunken self. It’s not exactly a fair trade but. .”

Chanyeol frowns. “Baekhyun, you don’t have to owe me anything. I just did what I had to.”

“I know that and you’re an amazing person, but I also . . I also want to talk to you.” Baekhyun stutters when he says this and Chanyeol can imagine his nervous pout.

“In that case I’ll definitely be there,” Chanyeol says reassuringly, and he takes a glance at Sehun who was staring at him curiously. “Uh where did you want to meet?”

“I think Suho mentioned this once, but there’s this nice café a few blocks down from the dog center. We can go around noon and I’ll send you the address.”

Chanyeol smiles appreciatively. “Sounds good. Did you get enough rest?”

Baekhyun chuckles. “I did. In fact I napped the entire day. Nice idea by the way, putting a napkin on me like that. Very creative.”

Chanyeol knows there’s a smirk on the redhead’s face just by listening to his tone. “I was in a rush,” he blurts with a blush.

Baekhyun’s laughter was less smooth over the phone, but nevertheless still pleasant to listen to. “Knowing me I would have just taken a marker and scribbled on your arm or something. But tell me more tomorrow, I’ll see you.”

They say their goodbyes and Chanyeol falls over Sehun’s lap with a content sigh. Sehun jabs at his arm and puts on a cheeky grin. “Got yourself a date huh?”

Chanyeol punches the air in his friend’s direction. “Nope, we’re just meeting up.” He notices Sehun’s brows which were raised in doubt, so he repeats himself. “We’re just friends Sehun, don’t read too much into it.”

Sehun scoffs and looks away. “Didn’t look like it, the way you rushed for your phone like it was a lifeline. ‘Just friends’ hmm? Sure, but not for long.” This earns himself a tackle from Chanyeol and they fall ungracefully to the ground together, ending their day in a jumble of limbs and laughter.

***

Chanyeol walks into a tiny café huddled in between large buildings. Some customers turn their heads as the door swung open, heralded by a blast of cold wind. Unlike the outside, the interior of the café was warm and cheery, with bright lights and colorful walls.

Chanyeol peers around the restaurant and his gaze lands on a table for two in a small corner where less people sat. He wanders across the room and slides into a chair opposite the man in front of him, who glances up in surprise.  

In contrast to yesterday’s outfits, Baekhyun was wearing an oversized striped shirt, which hid his slender fingers that held up his phone. He was also bare-faced and Chanyeol thinks he looks incredible without anything on, even with his shadowy eye bags. Chanyeol himself dressed simply in a beige sweater and usual jeans.  

“Chanyeol hey, you kind of scared me,” Baekhyun says with a silvery laugh, his clear eyes crinkling up. “I got you an Americano since I remembered you telling me you like them.”

Chanyeol reaches out to take a sip of the drink and smiles once the recognizable flavor unfurls over his taste buds. “It’s perfect, thanks for buying.”

“After everything you’ve done, this is the least I can do.” Baekhyun seemed shy when he spoke so Chanyeol put overemphasis on the delighted noises he let out while drinking, to both of their amusement. “Don’t choke,” Baekhyun warns with a snicker and Chanyeol rolls his eyes.

He puts his drink down and watches intriguingly as Baekhyun struggles with taking the lid off of his frappuccino. “What are you doing there?”

Baekhyun looks up and grins at Chanyeol before he puts on an air of fake seriousness. “You see, I’m a fan of sweet things, so I’m maximizing this whipped cream to its full potential.”

Chanyeol laughs at the determined look on the smaller’s face and a second later, he has his mouth burrowed into the fluffy topping. Chanyeol thinks with a mix of humor and tenderness, that the man has never looked more puppy-like.

When Baekhyun peels his head up, he has cream smeared on his upper lip and Chanyeol wrestles with himself to not dissolve into laughter. Wordlessly, he leans over the table and Baekhyun’s eyes widen at their sudden intimacy. Chanyeol doesn’t speak nor breathe as he swipes at Baekhyun’s mouth with his thumb, then wipes the cream on a napkin.

Baekhyun’s mouth starts opening and closing, like he’s stunned into silence, and Chanyeol tries not to focus on his wet lips, or their blushing faces. At some point, to escape an onrush of awkwardness, Baekhyun nervously chuckles. “So, did you learn that from a drama?”

The tension is gone and Chanyeol comically huffs. “Aw that sucks, here I was thinking I was being original.” His joke has the two bending over in laughter and they have a harder time containing their mirth after they notice curious people look their way, trying to get a peek at the noisy duo.

After calming down, they sip their drinks peacefully until Chanyeol goes to “use the bathroom”. In reality he’d gone to order food and he brings back plates of pasta to a gawking Baekhyun.   

“All you did was offer to pay for the drinks, you never mentioned food,” Chanyeol says with a lopsided grin when Baekhyun starts to protest.

Halfway into their lunch, Chanyeol observes that the pianist had fallen silent and to get his attention, he waves a hand in front of him. “Baekhyun? You’re not mad are you?”

Baekhyun looks up incredulously. “Of course not!” he objects, and starts stabbing his fork into the pasta shells. “You need to stop being sweet all the time,” he grumbles, but the tips of his ears were heated red.

Chanyeol smiles sheepishly and rests his chin against his fist. “Anyways, what did you want to talk about?”

The lighthearted atmosphere grows somber and Baekhyun shifts uncomfortably. “Not sure if I’m still up for it to be honest. This is going to involve my sad life and I don’t want to trouble you.”

Chanyeol briefly studies the redhead and sighs. “Problems don’t resolve on their own, especially when you keep them to yourself. More than once I’ve offered to be there for you and I’ve always meant it. Question is. .” Chanyeol searches Baekhyun’s conflicted gaze and continues. “Will you let me?”

Minutes, or rather seconds pass, and their eyes lock together in a shared understanding. There it is, Chanyeol notices, the vulnerable side to the smaller that he couldn’t quite fathom.

Baekhyun gets on his feet and indicates his desire to leave. “Let’s talk at the nearby park. It’s weird knowing that people can just tune into our conversations here. It’s cold though, will you be fine?”

Chanyeol shrugs and gives the redhead’s outfit an appraising once-over. “Why are you asking me? I’m not the one who’s wearing a thin shirt. Here, I brought a coat in case, take it.”  

Not giving Baekhyun the opportunity to argue, Chanyeol takes his jacket and wraps it around the man’s shoulders. He bites back a giggle after taking a step back to look at Baekhyun, who was drowning in the long coat.

Instead of handing back the jacket that was ten times too big on him, Baekhyun just tugs the coat closer and shakes his head at Chanyeol. “You’re _definitely_ a fan of clichés.”

Fifteen minutes later and they’re seated on a park bench under an awakened sun. Baekhyun was leaning against Chanyeol in hiccups of laughter and the taller was panting with his eyes shut. The reason for their hysteria was Chanyeol getting chased by a flock of pigeons after attempting to take a picture of one that looked “cute” but to no avail.

“I warned you not to. They can be little demons when provoked.” Baekhyun detaches himself from Chanyeol’s side and gives him a pointed look, even though his lips were quivering on the verge of a laugh.

“But it was so cute! Did you see the way that tiny one waddled over to the food?”

“Mm you’re right, it’s cute,” Baekhyun replies, but his voice sounded unfocused and he was staring at the side of Chanyeol’s face.

“So you agree with me?” Chanyeol asks, and when he doesn’t get a response he nudges at the smaller’s arm. “Baekhyun? Is there something on my face?”

The pianist jerks his head up to Chanyeol’s questioning stare. “Oh, uh no sorry, I was just looking at your dimple,” Baekhyun stammers, and he was blushing furiously.

Chanyeol takes a deep breath to pacity his racing heart, but he couldn’t stop his cheeks from burning up. “This is approximately the tenth time you’ve made me at a loss for words. I remember I almost couldn’t speak after seeing you perform.” The words were out in the open before he could retrieve them, and Chanyeol regrets saying anything when Baekhyun grows hush.  

“Oh. . the competition. Again I’m sorry for taking my emotions out on you, it was never my intention.”

Chanyeol raises his hand to stop the other from another explanation and lowers his voice. “Baekhyun, what happened?”

Baekhyun lets out a long sigh. “So the story starts a while back. I was dating this guy and the day of the competition was a week after I broke it off.” He leans forward and drops his head into his hands. Chanyeol is growing more anxious by the second. “I’d been meaning to end things for so. . _so_ long. But I was scared of the repercussions. This might sound bad to you, but he was my financial support, I lived with him for about a year. Part of me didn’t want to let that go and I always told myself that things would just magically get better.”

Chanyeol reaches out to hold Baekhyun’s trembling hands and the smaller uses them to pull him closer. Chanyeol obliges and starts rubbing circles into Baekhyun’s soft skin.

“When you saw me crying, that was after he called me. I don’t know why I didn’t just hang up. Maybe I was anticipating some sort of apology? But he asked me if I regretted ending our relationship and I swore at him and said I would never.” Baekhyun’s grip on Chanyeol’s hands tighten and his breathing was shaky. “He started calling me all these names and every insecurity my stupid self told him, he just recited back to me. One by one. How I’d never be wanted, by a partner or my own family. That I wasn’t good enough for either. It never hit me how abusive he was until that moment. . and that’s why I let those frustrations out on you.”

Chanyeol starts piecing his memory and Baekhyun’s story together and he sharply inhales. “Is he the reason for your bruises?”

Baekhyun rolls his sleeve up and both of them stare at the marks. The color was fading, but they were clearly discernible. “Yes. The day before the club I ran into him and we got into an argument. It escalated into a physical fight. He’d always been the verbal kind, but he. . he lost it that day.” His voice breaks and so does Chanyeol’s willpower to not pull the other into a hug.

Baekhyun’s head relaxes against the taller’s chest and Chanyeol can feel the pianist’s shudders. Chanyeol starts stroking Baekhyun’s hair while he tries to control his own tremulous breathing. “Please tell me you got away with just the bruises on your arm,” Chanyeol whispers, and he sighs into the redhead’s curls when Baekhyun nods.

“Luckily my friend Kai was nearby and he managed to stop things before it got worse. So I came out unscathed for the most part.” Baekhyun wraps his arms around each other and his whole body was now pressed up against Chanyeol. “That night I washed myself like crazy. I scrubbed at the places he touched and only made the pain worse. The next day I had to get out and feel _something_ that wasn’t him. I’m sorry for using you.”

Chanyeol gingerly pulls back to look Baekhyun in the eyes. They were fairly dry and Chanyeol wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. How the smaller was able to speak about his hellish experiences yet appear resilient to others was beyond him.

“You weren’t using me Baekhyun, so get that thought out of your head right now. I have no clue how you put up with that bastard for a year, but it’s such a relief you moved out to stay with your brother.”

Baekhyun laughs wryly and massages at his temples. “It. . it’s not a whole lot better. He’s never home because he plays and teaches overseas. And when he is, he scarcely says anything to me. I’m like a pest inhabiting his home. He’s always been the favorite in the family. My parents never thought I could measure up to him, especially after I came out. I think my brother and them share that same mentality.”

Chanyeol parts his lips to speak, but nothing comes out. So he intertwines their hands again, to find the energy to put his hectic thoughts into words. If he thinks about it, it should honestly be the other way around.

“Gosh Baek . . you’re the strongest person I’ve ever met.” Those are the first words that trickle out of Chanyeol’s mouth once he’d gathered his self composure. He wants to yell at himself because it amounted to nothing in comparison to what the pianist had gone through. Any compliments would probably be a clear-cut understatement of the smaller’s strength.

But Baekhyun apparently disagrees. “That’s nice of you to say, but I’m not,” he says, and Chanyeol desperately wants to argue. “I’ve never told anyone this, at least not to this extent. The fact that I choose to isolate myself from help just proves how weak I am.”

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol harshly breathes, head swimming from the other’s words. “You wouldn’t be telling me all this if you were weak. You were brave enough to end things with your ex, and if he ever told you that you were weak, then that’s a lie. All he says is shit.”

“I guess,” Baekhyun says, and he stares off at some random tree. “I just trust you, especially after you took care of me yesterday. What did you leave for by the way?”

Chanyeol was hoping they’d steer clear of this topic, but he wouldn’t avoid it by lying to the smaller. Not after everything Baekhyun trusted him with. So he tells him. “I was worried about my mom.”

“Oh. . were you guys always close?”

Chanyeol nearly scoffs. “Close? Our relationship is far from it. But if I didn’t take care of her, there’d be immense guilt on my consciousness. Let’s not get into that though.” He feels wrong for keeping his past from Baekhyun who was being open with him, but the other doesn’t deserve to be burdened with his own issues. “Also that night, I couldn’t leave after seeing your bruises. I recognized them.”

Baekhyun looks up, shock written all over his face. “Please tell me you weren’t—”

“No,” Chanyeol interjects, cutting him off. “It wasn’t me.” When he says this, the air surrounding them stills. Sure they were outside, in the middle of greenery and chilly breezes, but the two felt congested into a small bubble.

Then Baekhyun laughs. A cold, bitter laugh. “Well we both have our fair share of problems, don’t we? Great.” And Chanyeol agrees.

After a short silence, Baekhyun feebly mumbles Chanyeol’s name. The taller cocks his head to the side. “What is it?”

“Thank you for letting me talk to you. For just being here with me,” Baekhyun says, falling into Chanyeol’s embrace again. Chanyeol rests the side of his face on Baekhyun’s warm head and inhales his citrus scent with a smile. Baekhyun can feel the taller’s cheek move against his hair and before he could place his hand to the other man’s back, Chanyeol lifts up to intensely gaze at him.

No, thank _you_ for coming to me. Don’t listen to what your shitty ex or family has to say. You have so much worth and talent that they’re blind to. Everything I’ve done up to now isn’t because I pity you. Nor is it just because I have good morals or whatever. It’s you, you’re worth my efforts and you deserve to be happy. And gosh, if only you could meet yourself. You’re incredibly skilled, strong, and beautiful. I’m proud of you for bearing with everything.” Chanyeol said all that in what feels like a single breath and he’s about to say more, but he hears sniffles.

“B-baek?” he stutters, “Are you crying?”

Baekhyun burrows his face into the crook of Chanyeol’s neck. “No one’s ever told me that they’re proud of me,” he says in a hoarse voice, shuddering under the force of his sobs. Chanyeol swirls his palms on Baekhyun’s back and the smaller envelops his arms around him, inching impossibly closer.

Chanyeol laughs softly. “And who cares if you aren’t the best? You’re spectacular and it gives you room to grow. Jongdae told me you said life is only a path full of efforts. And you’re a hundred percent right. Go through a wrong path and come out on the right one. Just keep going.”

Baekhyun grips tightly onto Chanyeol’s sweater before moving back and meeting his fond stare with puffy eyes and a runny nose. “Are you intentionally trying to get me to cry more? I’ve never cried this much in front of anyone, I feel like a dam just broke in my eyes.”

Chanyeol throws his head back with a chuckle. When he sees Baekhyun glaring at him, red-eyed and with a pout, he knows he’s done his job. “There’s a first time for everything,” he teases, and Baekhyun groans.

Later when they’re meandering through the empty park, snug with Chanyeol’s coat hanging loosely on his frame, Baekhyun smiles. Not the kind of smile he pries off after a day out or the one he forces on when he’s alone. He’s not sure what’s so special about it, but it stays on as he watches a certain giant walk ahead of him, chattering on about “pigeons hating him.” Baekhyun's happy in that moment, he really is.

***

A fortnight into his winter break and Chanyeol thinks it’s the best two weeks of his life. Baekhyun and him had gotten closer, an unseeable but sometimes palpable bond had been established. It’s evident in the way they converse, no unpleasant silences and a surge of more physical contact. Chanyeol compares the smaller to Sehun, he can be _that_ clingy at times. He’s not surprised since Baekhyun has never exhibited awkwardness to touching — and it’s definitely not like Chanyeol was complaining. Although flashbacks to the night at the club occasionally wheedle into his thoughts, and it takes what feels like hours under a cool shower to carry on with his life.

Suho had walked into the pair hanging out at the café, a little ritual after a day of volunteering. They were solely making banter, but Chanyeol had his arm around Baekhyun and the other man was playing with his fingers. A confounded Suho shot Chanyeol a suspicious look that said “let’s talk later.” Cue the infamous “we’re just friends” line. But their friendship has really grown. Not only are they regularly texting, but video calls are frequent. And on top of it all, Chanyeol started to use text emoticons, something he’s never done until Baekhyun.

It’s in the third week that Chanyeol realizes that they’ve been going out of their way to see each other, outside of face calls and usual hangouts. The loneliness that pervaded Baekhyun’s place would be swapped with noisy laughter and the clamor of instruments whenever Chanyeol was over. Shockingly, or rather unshockingly, Baekhyun and Sehun became fast friends after the three of them spent an entire day at the dorm gaming. After getting his ass beaten in league, Chanyeol’s roommate said to him, “if you don’t put a ring on that, I will.” But their time together isn’t just comprised of them in good spirits. They have their moments when worries and fears come out into the open, but Chanyeol is always ready to hold Baekhyun close. One thing Chanyeol admires about the smaller is that he doesn’t pry. He senses when Chanyeol gets uncomfortable and never oversteps his boundaries. Chanyeol’s troubles may be concealed for now, but by the way things were going, he doubted they’d be hidden in secrecy for much longer.

It was a few nights ago when they were laughing over Chanyeol’s old band practice videos that they decide to go someplace different. Hence why today, they’re at the pier.

It was an unusually sunny day. Looking past the amusement park at the end of the boardwalk, the sea was speckled by a million fragments of the sun’s rays. It reflected into Baekhyun’s smiling eyes the same way the Ferris wheel, decorated with gleaming lights, casted back into the crashing waves at night.

Chanyeol catches a whiff of dessert foods and he basks in its delicious aroma. The smell of churros permeate the salty air, but there was a hint of seaweed and fish. Glancing around, he sees an area selling fresh seafood, but it was thoroughly masked under all the sweet treats.

Baekhyun grasps his wrist and Chanyeol looks over to where his sweater-clad arm was indicating. There was a flock of seagulls nearby, swooping for dropped chips. “Are you going to get chased by those too?” Baekhyun asks, an impish grin curving his lips to tease the taller.

Chanyeol’s shoulders shake with a soft snort. “You joke now, but we’ll see what happens when I beat you in all of those games over there.” He tries to move towards the painted stands which were customized for bottle and ring tosses, but the other man clings to Chanyeol even tighter. “Uh Baek? We gonna go? It’s not too crowded yet,” he asks in amusement, but the smaller stays put.

“Let me enjoy the scenery, I haven’t been here since I was a kid.”

 _He looks young_ , Chanyeol thinks. Salty winds blew off the ocean and into Baekhyun’s newly dyed hair. He went back to his natural shade of black since it was too much work maintaining a vivid red. In fact, both of them changed their looks, but Baekhyun appears younger with dark hair while Chanyeol seems “more mature” according to the other.

Baekhyun was busy staring off into the ocean, so Chanyeol keeps himself occupied by watching a group of children run up to a stuffed animal coin toss, all ready smiles and impatient feet. Their playfulness reminded him of a certain someone, and he turns back to Baekhyun who was already looking at him.

“You should know, I was just joking earlier,” Chanyeol confesses, “The last time I came with my friends, I couldn’t win a single thing.”

Baekhyun smirks and he pauses like he always does when he’s about to say something profound or plain dumb. “Don’t worry Yeol, I’ll be your good luck charm.” He says this with an exaggerated wink and both of them start cracking up.

“Y’know, I actually miss the times when my wink would get you all flustered,” Baekhyun says wistfully, and Chanyeol raises a brow. “I thought you were having a spasm to be honest. Was it the red hair? Should I dye it back?”

“Wow, who knew you’d enjoy watching other people’s pain,” Chanyeol deadpans, and he pretends to walk away. He turns back in time to witness Baekhyun hopping up and warm limbs are wrapped around his neck like a scarf. They nearly fall to the ground in laughter, but Chanyeol hooks his arms around Baekhyun’s legs and balances himself.

Baekhyun’s hot breathing sends shivers down Chanyeol’s spine and he thinks he might drop the man, feeling very lightheaded. Baekhyun's sweet and citrus scent were making all his thoughts turn nebulous. So Chanyeol tries focusing on the repetitive music of a merry-go-round, but it's muffled by Baekhyun's excited chatter of what snacks they should buy.

Thankfully though, Baekhyun jumps off of Chanyeol once he spots an ice cream cart. Keeping his attention on the wide variety of flavors, he hums in contemplation. “Yeol what do you want?”

Chanyeol raises his shoulders, not really having a preference. “Eh I guess whatever you’re having.”

“Do you wanna share the strawberry one?” Baekhyun asks, eyes lit up the way they always are whenever food is involved.

Chanyeol agrees and Baekhyun asks for a double scoop with colorful mochi on top. Taking the first lick, he lets out a noise of approval. Chanyeol feels his heart race whenever Baekhyun swipes his tongue across his rosy lips. He shuffles closer to give Chanyeol a taste, but the taller can’t pry his focus away from the other’s mouth. “You can have it all!” he exclaims in a panic, and his hands were practically sweating buckets.

Baekhyun pouts and attempts to bring the ice cream to Chanyeol's mouth, but he stumbles and instead stabs it into Chanyeol’s earlobe.

Chanyeol chokes on a laugh when Baekhyun rises on his tiptoes and places his hands on his chest. When Baekhyun brings his face to his, Chanyeol has a heart attack thinking that the other would lick it off. To his relief, the smaller just uses his thumb.

“Your ears are cute,” Baekhyun murmurs, still on his tiptoes and Chanyeol’s ears redden, heating up more than usual with Baekhyun's breath ghosting against his skin.

“I- I'm actually pretty insecure about them. . they stick out weirdly.”

Baekhyun's face falls and he vehemently shakes his head. “Are you kidding me? They're my favorite part about you, well. . besides your dimples. Or maybe your arms.” He drags a hand across Chanyeol's bicep for emphasis and Chanyeol feels like the melting ice cream in Baekhyun's grip.

Afterwards, the two walk along the pier and Baekhyun drags Chanyeol into an empty booth where toy rifles are used to shoot down prizes.

True to his word, Chanyeol fails to win anything because his aim is too off-center. Baekhyun however, isn't only a god at sniping in video games, but also in real life. His aim is perfect and in just one shot, a small packet falls from its hook.

Chanyeol laughs at the difference in their fortunes. “What happened to being my good luck charm?”

Baekhyun opens the prize and they curiously peer in. A smile spreads across Baekhyun's face when he holds up a tiny guitar keychain. He turns to Chanyeol with a beam. “Well I won this for you didn't I?”

Three hours later and they’re sitting on coarse sand, watching the sunset with churros in their hands.

The ocean breeze was peppering icy kisses onto his face, but Chanyeol didn’t feel cold. In fact, his whole body was warm. They just got off the Ferris wheel and Chanyeol’s mind is continually replaying the way a scared Baekhyun held his hand. Chanyeol had coaxed the smaller — who apparently has a fear of heights — throughout the entire ride to open his eyes. When they’d gotten to the very top, the most dazzling scenery awaited them. Even so, a picturesque view of the coastline paled in comparison to Baekhyun’s smile. His droopy eyes crinkled into crescents and his whole face lit up under the setting sun and glittering lights. Chanyeol thinks that was his most genuine smile yet.   

“Chanyeol, you have sugar on the side of your mouth.”

Chanyeol pushes off the sand to face Baekhyun and he’s about to say he can simply lick it off, but the smaller has other ideas.

Not giving Chanyeol time to even blink, Baekhyun is wiping at the corner of his mouth, brazenly locking their eyes. Chanyeol _knows_ that the long brush of a finger against his bottom lip is far from accidental. But before he could formulate an action, the other man is pulling away with an innocent smile.

“Copycat,” Chanyeol whispers, his already deep voice dropping an octave lower. He’s recalling their moment at the café and Baekhyun’s simper is telling him he’s not the only one.

“Awh, I thought I was being original,” Baekhyun says mockingly, and he doubles over in laughter when Chanyeol visibly cringes at his own words.

“Baek.”

“Yeah?”

Chanyeol pats the space between them and extends his arm out. “Come here,” he says, and when Baekhyun gives him a peculiar look he sighs, “You seem cold, get in here.”  

An especially chilly wind snaps at them and Baekhyun needs no other persuading as he settles comfortably into Chanyeol’s arms. Neither of them say it, but they both think that having each other close like this — it just feels right.

Spent from the day’s activities, the two sit in a quiet tranquility, the crashing waves their background music. Empty shells, seaweed, and rocks pile against the shore when the sea turns to foam, only to recede into the dark ocean and return again — a calming cycle. The final remainder of golden sun was steadily disappearing into vast blue horizon and the last of the day’s seagulls were flying above them.

“Do you think those seagulls are happy?” Baekhyun asks out of nowhere.

Chanyeol follows his line of sight, the birds now moving dots in the clouds. “What do you mean?”

Baekhyun angles his head up to get a clear view of the sky and Chanyeol can feel his warmth, the rise and fall of every breath. “They’re constantly moving from place to place, wouldn’t that be tiring?”

Chanyeol mulls over this before giving a quiet laugh. “You have interesting thoughts. The only time I pay attention to them is when they’re right above me and I’m trying not to get pooped on.”

“You’re tall and lanky, they probably mistake you for a tree,” Baekhyun says, and Chanyeol can hear the smile in his voice.

The smaller rises up, and being the nice person he is, dusts sand off into a bemused Chanyeol’s lap.

“Going somewhere?”

“I want to dip my feet into the water, but it’s probably freezing.” Baekhyun holds out a hand to Chanyeol and helps him to his feet. “Be my heater Yeol.”

They hurriedly kick off their shoes and run down the shore, avoiding sharp rocks and spiky shells. Chanyeol feels his early youth resurface, worries washing away like the pebbly sand beneath their uncovered feet.

“What if a giant wave comes in and completely splashes us?” Chanyeol asks, and the following second, a miniature wave rides up his leg and soaks his jeans to his mid-thigh. Baekhyun, who ran out in the nick of time, lets loose a roar of laughter.

“Us? You can stand there and block it, basically what you did just now.” Baekhyun grins cheekily when the other purses his lips into a frown. “I’m kidding, we’ll go down together,” he corrects, and Chanyeol’s cheeks flush in a mixture of happiness and the cold.

Suddenly gasping, Chanyeol points out at the sea. “Baek look! There’s a dolphin!”

Baekhyun swivels around and Chanyeol bends down to cup a handful of the sea. When the smaller turns back with a confused expression, Chanyeol splashes his face with the water. “Oh my god,” he gasps out, peals of laughter preventing him from speaking properly. “I can’t believe you fell for that,” he adds, and crosses his arms over his stomach in an attempt to catch his breath.

Baekhyun’s mouth was hanging open, and Chanyeol feels an onrush of fear when he lifts a challenging brow. _Oh shit_ , is all he can think before Baekhyun is chasing him across the water’s edge.

Ten minutes later and they’re back where they began. Heavily panting on the sand, but still using each other for warmth.

Once Chanyeol’s breathing returned back to normal, he peers at Baekhyun who had his eyes shut. “Baek. . what’s happiness to you?”

Baekhyun’s eyes flutter open in surprise. “I- hmm. .” He chews at his lip and drums his fingers on Chanyeol’s knee. “To me. . happiness is a broad term. There’s no exact way to describe it because it’s derived from every emotion. You can get happiness out of feeling sad and vice versa. I mean, if you didn’t feel negative emotions, how would you know if you’re truly happy?”

“Oh,” Chanyeol says, blinking at the other. He was a bit stupefied, but he knew what Baekhyun meant. “I see. .”

“What about you? How would you define it?”

Chanyeol lets out a breath of air. He stared at the other with brows slightly furrowed before his face softened. “It’s this moment here. This moment with you.” The sun was long gone and the stars twinkled above them, but Chanyeol could see the bloom of color on Baekhyun’s cheeks. “I don’t know, I suppose it’s the idea of feeling unburdened. Think skydiving.” He shakes his head with a laugh when Baekhyun’s eyes widen. “This isn’t going to make sense, but it’s similar to when you don’t fear falling because you know that you’ll land.”

Baekhyun nods thoughtfully. “So. . being able to enjoy life freely? Without inhibitions?”

Chanyeol loves Baekhyun’s ability to understand him, even if he himself couldn’t. “Yeah.”

“Being around me makes you feel that way?”

“. . Yeah.”

Baekhyun smiles off to the side. “Me too.”

***

Long story short, Chanyeol offered to help Baekhyun make his own “special dinner”. However what he wasn’t expecting to find, was the smaller in his kitchen, holding up bags of marshmallows and chocolate chips.

“Uh Baek? I thought we were making dinner.” Chanyeol looks blankly at Baekhyun, unsure of what to say. “Or did I read your text wrong. .”

“You didn’t ask what _type_ of meal, plus I did add that it was special.” Baekhyun yanks Chanyeol into the kitchen area and excitedly thrusts the marshmallows into his chest.

Chanyeol stares down at the pillowy treats and groans, unsatisfied with the smaller’s response. “But _Baek_ , I’m really hungry. Don’t do me like this,” he complains, in an overly whiny tone. He falters when he realizes that he sounds like Jongdae, and the idea of acting like his best friend sends shivers of fear down his spine.

“Doing you? Who said I was doing you?”

Chanyeol clamps a hand over his mouth and coughs. He just popped a puffy snack into his mouth and was now close to swallowing it whole.

Baekhyun chuckles and gives Chanyeol a light pat on the back. “Just kidding, it’s hilarious when you get riled up.”

This is something new. For the past weeks, Baekhyun had kicked his teasing up a notch. It was borderline, or sometimes _over_ borderline flirting. Chanyeol wasn’t sure whether he should reciprocate, because he doubted Baekhyun actually meant it, or if he would be uncomfortable. This doesn’t go to say that Chanyeol was opposed to the idea of doing so, he was simply afraid to try.

“What are we making anyways?”

“Homemade choco-pies,” Baekhyun responds, somewhat incoherently due to his mouthful of marshmallows. Chanyeol brings a knuckle up to his lips to stifle a laugh. Baekhyun resembles a chipmunk with his wide cheeks.

Even though Chanyeol was craving legitimate food, he had to admit, the idea of chocolate  cakes with marshmallow filling sounded downright heavenly.

On the flip side, today was the day that Chanyeol learned that Baekhyun cannot bake whatsoever. His idea of cracking eggs was to take two, bang them against each other, and accidentally drop both shells into the mix. The first part of their cooking experience concluded right after Chanyeol made a joke that he was “cracking up”. Baekhyun’s knees had buckled to the floor in intense laughter, and of course Chanyeol had joined him.

“You’re rubbing off on me aren’t you?” Chanyeol asks, in a playfully accusing tone, to which Baekhyun just grins.

The smaller flops on the couch and stretches his arms above his head. “Ah, and is that really such a bad thing?”

Chanyeol pushes Baekhyun's legs off the cushions and settles down next to him. “Yes, when they’re all puns that some uncle with a dry sense of humor would make.”

“You love them,” Baekhyun says defensively, and Chanyeol’s lack of response earns him a playful nudge.

“Hey did you make those?” Chanyeol stands up and peers at the handwritten music scores lying on top of Baekhyun’s piano bench. “First Love? Nice song title, who’s the lucky man?”

Baekhyun laughs sheepishly behind him. “Yeah they’re mine. I’ve been working on that specific composition for over years now. And when I say years, I mean a _long_ time has passed since I’ve started.”

“What’s up with the title?” Chanyeol asks. He wasn’t intentionally trying to poke into Baekhyun’s romantic life, but he wouldn’t deny he was extremely eager to know the story behind it.

Baekhyun doesn’t respond right away and Chanyeol worries that he may have crossed a line. But to his relief, Baekhyun gradually smiles. A smile that crinkled his nose and made Chanyeol feel a clench to the heart, but in a good way.  

“Playing the piano was the one thing I was truly passionate about at an early age. It did some damage too, but I loved it. It stayed with me as I grew up and that’s why I think of it as my first love.” Baekhyun caresses his hand over the piano’s keys and his voice grows soft. “Also there was this boy I met, but I was only a kid at the time.”

“A childhood crush?”

Baekhyun laughs, but it sounded forced. “Not particularly. I only saw him once.”

Chanyeol’s brows shoot up. “Love at first sight then?”

Baekhyun rolls his eyes. “In a way? I was struggling trying to win my family’s approval and meeting him made me grasp the fact that I shouldn't play for the purpose of pleasing others.”

Chanyeol felt unreasonably jealous. It wasn’t as if that guy from years ago would pop out of nowhere and score a shot with Baekhyun, but Chanyeol wanted to have the same sort of impact on him. He wanted to be someone memorable, or maybe more.

“Do you want to hear it?” Baekhyun gestures to his self made piece and Chanyeol, forgetting all about “the boy” claps his hands in excitement.

Turns out, Chanyeol was not all prepared for this exclusive preview. And by the looks of it, neither was Baekhyun. Chanyeol had never seen the smaller’s confidence falter when he played the piano, but now, his delicate hands were trembling and his back had gone stiff, too stiff. This wasn’t how Baekhyun acted at the competition, or maybe Chanyeol just hadn’t paid enough attention.

So he does what any rational minded person would do. Towering over Baekhyun, Chanyeol leans over and presses a gentle kiss to the top of his head. The pianist’s hair was soft and smelled like their cooking, and Chanyeol thinks he could stay in that position for even longer. But Baekhyun was frozen under him and before things could get awkward — if they weren’t already — Chanyeol draws away.

Not a split second later, Baekhyun is yanking him back and they settle into a proper hug. Their height difference was a tad uncomfortable, given that Chanyeol was standing and Baekhyun was sitting, but neither make a move to pull apart. Chanyeol hears the smaller’s breathing grow steadier and he tightens his arms around him, not caring if Baekhyun could feel the rapid beat in his chest. Angling his head so his mouth was an inch away from Baekhyun’s ear, he softly murmurs a “you got this.”

The two of them lose track of how many minutes they stay wrapped around each other for, but eventually (more like reluctantly) they separate, and Baekhyun begins his piece.

From the instant the melody unfurls across the keys, Chanyeol thinks it’s unlike anything he’s ever listened to. Right off the bat, Baekhyun’s fingers travel at a blistering speed, each note a build up to the next. Every press of the piano has Chanyeol feeling like he was at a movie theater, on the edge of his seat and wanting _more._ Baekhyun was unravelling a story with his playing, the subtle dips and changes of tempo being its own independent event. It was sweet, intense, and beautiful. It was everything that Baekhyun was.

The piece ends before Chanyeol could even comprehend that it was over. And somehow he felt cheated on? Yes it was stunning, the best performance he’d ever heard, but it seemed unfinished. It left him breathless and wanting — no, _needing_ a continuation. Some form of encore.

It was like Baekhyun could read his mind, because he confirms his thoughts. “Yes, it’s not completed. For some reason I can’t bring myself to finish it yet.”  

He tugs Chanyeol over to the couch and drapes his legs over the taller’s. “Do you remember when you told me you can only listen to music with stories behind them?”

“Uhm, give me a minute.” Chanyeol sucks his bottom lip into his mouth, trying to recall when he’d said that. His eyes sweep across the room for a hint, and they enlarge when he spots the piano. “Oh, it was after the competition right?”

Baekhyun nods. “Well that’s my whole concept here. This composition started from a single moment and pretty much spiraled into my life’s biography. And I can’t place my finger on when to stop, because the story needs a conclusion though I don’t know what sort of closure I’m looking for. Or it might be that I’m lacking inspiration. Either way, and it’s cliché to say this, but I’m hoping it’ll just come to me.”

Chanyeol starts tapping along the length of Baekhyun’s leg, attempting to find an answer to the other’s dilemma. “Baek I think this is something that shouldn’t be rushed. It’s told through your experiences and you can’t put a time on that. And who knows? The closure you’re seeking could be right in front of you.” Chanyeol bops the smaller on the nose and laughs when Baekhyun tries to bite him. “Don’t stress about it, stuff like this comes naturally.”

Baekhyun throws his head back with a dramaticized sigh. “If only it were that easy.” Turning to Chanyeol, he parts his lips to add something, but freezes all of a sudden. “Are we burning the cakes?!” he shouts, and nearly whirls himself to the floor.

Chanyeol snickers. “No silly, we aren’t. There’s still thirty minutes to go because your brother’s oven is weird and doesn’t have this specific temperature.”

“Oh thank god, I got so scared thinking I was going to burn my children,” Baekhyun sighs, and clutches his chest in relief.

Chanyeol slaps his face. “Burn your children? Baekhyun, you’re going to _eat_ them.”

“Oh.”

Chanyeol shakes his head incredulously. Just how is he so enamored with this dork who can’t crack eggs?

“Hey earlier when you were playing, some notes sounded as if you were pressing down on a pedal, but you scarcely used it. How?”

Baekhyun arches his brow, slightly taken aback by the random inquiry. “Interested in the technicalities now are we?”

“Yeah actually,” Chanyeol replies, giving a nonchalant shrug. “I never payed attention to those details until I watched the way you play.” He smiles to himself when Baekhyun blushes at his words and decides to tease him even more. “Are you seriously flattered by that?”

Chanyeol gets the reaction he wanted when the smaller chucks a cushion at him with a pout. It escalates into a pillow fight of sorts and somehow Baekhyun ends up on his lap. Almost instantaneously, Chanyeol becomes very aware of the other man’s generous thighs on either side of his waist. It isn’t helping that Baekhyun’s breathing is also ragged — in fact, both of them were panting. Heat is a moment away from rushing down to Chanyeol’s groin, but Baekhyun seems to take notice of their situation and immediately crawls away. Chanyeol’s pounding pulse drops back to only semi-irregular and he so badly wishes to curl up in relief.

“To answer your question. .” Baekhyun starts, and clears his throat whilst clearing the tension. His entire face to the tips of his ears were flushed, but he glances away like it’s nothing. “Those kinds of notes are done by fast and strong keystrokes. You have to play fast enough to where the downtime between notes is nearly non-existent. You also need to incorporate strong enough force to just slightly overpower the piano’s own string ‘mute-system’ so to speak.”

Chanyeol’s mouth was agape in a jumble of awe and confusion. He couldn’t decipher why the other still doubted himself when his expertise was well beyond his years. “How are you so. . wow,” Chanyeol says, fumbling for words, “How are you so incredible, it’s astounding.”

Baekhyun laughs, Chanyeol’s wonderment apparently a source of entertainment. “Thanks Yeol. You know, I watched this movie not too long ago.”

“What type of film?”

“A gay romance,” Baekhyun says with a smirk, and Chanyeol is about ready to choke for the nth time, but a man has his pride — probably an iota left in his case. “But the main character is this precocious pianist that can play pieces and I quote ‘the way Busoni would have played if he’d altered Liszt’. My brother has a similar skill.” He pauses to let out a prolonged sigh. “I was jealous . . and desperately wanted to acquire that ability. For the longest time I tried to be this copy of my brother and play the way others wanted me to, but it just limited me. I struggled with finding the reason _why_ I play, and I still do. Ultimately I play for myself now, because that’s the only way I can improve. Everyone has a different story and a person can’t show it if they conform to how others want them to tell it.”

Chanyeol nods in a stunned silence.

“By the way, thank you.”

He meets Baekhyun’s warm stare with a perplexed expression. “You’re thanking me? What for?”

“From the first time we met, not once have you ever judged me,” Baekhyun explains in a quiet voice, breaking his gaze to look down at his fidgeting hands. “Regardless of the situation, you were always by my side. Including when I show you my vulnerabilities and lash out. You don’t compare and ask people to change. I’m accustomed to people pointing out all my flaws, but you always see the best in me. . so thank you.”

Chanyeol is touched and a bit puzzled. He didn’t know he’d been that way towards Baekhyun until now. He’d only been acting out of instinct, which was subconsciously his immense care for the smaller.

He reaches out to place his hand over Baekhyun’s. The other man laces their fingers together and they involuntarily grip each other tighter, like a promise that both would be there for one another.  

“I’m the one who should be giving my gratitude,” Chanyeol admits. Baekhyun cocks his head to the side in question, but Chanyeol just continues. “You do things with so much passion that it always motivates me to work harder. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be helping out. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be challenging myself with stuff like songwriting, because I see how hard you are on yourself. And most importantly. .” He brushes a thumb over Baekhyun’s knuckles and sighs. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t feel wanted.”

Baekhyun stills, but he doesn’t let go of Chanyeol’s hand. In fact, he grips back with more strength. “What do you mean?”

“You coming to me and allowing me to help you. . it makes me feel like I’m someone worthwhile. I don’t think I’ve ever told you this, but before my dad passed away, he used to be physically abusive to my mom.” Chanyeol avoids meeting Baekhyun’s stare, but he hears a sharp intake of breath.

“Is that. . is that why you said you’d feel guilty if you didn’t help her?” Baekhyun’s voice was slightly shaking and Chanyeol hopes this wasn’t bothering him given his past with his ex.

“Yeah that’s why I said that,” he confirms, and looks down to where Baekhyun was rubbing circles into his skin. “They both treated me like shit, but I’d witnessed the things she’d endured with my father, and I wouldn’t be able to look myself in the eye if I didn’t make an effort to help. No matter how strained our relationship is.” Chanyeol’s voice wavers and he debates whether his next words were worth saying. “Also this might sound pretty stupid but. .”

Baekhyun flinches. Using his free hand, he grasps Chanyeol’s chin and forces the surprised man to meet his fierce stare. His face was locked in such a rare and blazing look, that Chanyeol was almost intimidated. “Don’t say that, please. Your feelings aren’t stupid and no one has the right to dismiss them.” He says this in a stern tone and it’s only until Chanyeol shakes his head that he lets go.  

There’s a momentary pause, but Chanyeol eventually begins. “Alright. So. . I remember going to school and other kids would have this picture perfect family. They were their parent’s joy. But compared to them, I was simply a burden.” His eyes shift over to Baekhyun and he receives an understanding nod. “I thought there was something wrong with me since I wasn’t enough to bring our family together. And it hurt then. . but of course I know now that a single person can’t change how people are. But back when I was younger, it . . it got to a point where I almost ran away one night,” he finishes in a low whisper, and the other’s eyes widen.

“What stopped you?”

The corners of Chanyeol’s lips tug up, but it was entirely bittersweet. “Someone showed me what hope felt like, and that negative things can take take a turn for the better.”

“I wish I could give my thanks to whoever that was,” Baekhyun says, sliding closer to Chanyeol and offering him a half smile.  

“So do I.”

They stay quiet, talk substituted for the incessant ticking of a wall clock. Baekhyun’s thumb skims across Chanyeol’s hand, his touch leaving prickles in the other’s skin. Not a second later, Chanyeol returns the action and they look up in a shared smile — neither of them faking it.

The urge to say more builds up in Chanyeol’s throat. The confidence to speak came to him earlier and he thinks he might as well liberate himself of his troubles while they were at it. There were things he’d kept to the confines of his mind for far too long.

“Baek can I tell you something?”

Baekhyun’s reply comes without hesitation. “Of course, go for it.”

Chanyeol swallows. “I trust you.”

“I- I do too, bu-”

Chanyeol lays a finger on Baekhyun’s lips and the smaller raises a brow. “Sorry just, let me say this first.” He gets a signal to carry on and Chanyeol briefly wonders how Baekhyun’s lips would feel against his. He quickly dismisses the thought and coughs. “Anyways. . I trust you and that’s the hardest phrase I can say to someone. Because of how I grew up, close relationships were a rarity. I feared disillusionment and was always so scared of putting trust in someone and later discovering that what I had faith in was a mask.”

He doesn’t register it, but a tear was rolling down his cheek and Baekhyun promptly brushes it off. Baekhyun was staring at him in empathy, understanding, but not pity. Chanyeol was relieved that the other wasn’t looking down at him, but making it clear that he was listening. Chanyeol has liked Baekhyun for a while now (he’s not a coward to his emotions) but the feeling of deep seated affection never hit him _this_ hard.  

“My dating life sort of suffered because of that as well,” he divulges, shrugging his shoulders.   “Literally throughout my entire high school career I never went out with people, aside from the occasional hookups at parties. The only time I gave a crap was somewhat recently, and in a way I was turned down.”

Chanyeol wasn’t sure when it happened, but glancing up and down, there was hardly any distance between Baekhyun and him. The other’s dark eyes were glimmering with something he couldn’t interpret, and the air around them grew heavier.  

“Whoever they are, they’re a downright fool to reject you,” Baekhyun mutters, involuntarily leaning in. The warmth that radiated off of his body has Chanyeol bringing them closer.

Chanyeol’s heart was hammering in his chest and his vision was blurring. All he could see, feel, and hear was Baekhyun. He wasn’t in the right mind to think twice about what came out of his mouth anymore. Hence his next words.

“I wouldn’t have gone out with them anyways,” he says softly, and if the change in mood wasn’t noticeable earlier, it’s practically tangible now as Baekhyun slides a hand to cup Chanyeol’s cheek. He whispers a “why” but Chanyeol’s attention drifts down to his parted lips. He wants to get rid of any remaining space and join their mouths together, but he forces himself to respond.

“It’s because I already liked some else.” Chanyeol’s voice was lower than ever and Baekhyun’s piercing stare grew hooded.

“Who?” Baekhyun asks, in an almost inaudible murmur. Their faces were an inch apart now, and Chanyeol could feel every bat of the smaller’s lashes. Baekhyun’s citrus scent was flooding his senses and Chanyeol knew he couldn’t last much longer.

“You.”

One straightforward word, but that’s all it took for the two to smash their lips together.

Their first kiss started out passionate. It was intense and demanding — everything they needed to forget the world around them. Baekhyun’s hand splayed across Chanyeol’s chest and the other was used to bring their bodies closer. Grabbing at the taller’s nape, he pulls him down slightly to find a better angle. They sink into each other’s hold and their kisses smooth into something more innocent and sweet. Neither wanted to rush, they’d been holding back for long enough already.

Breaking apart for air, Chanyeol rests his forehead against Baekhyun’s, admiring his clouded eyes. Their breaths mingled together and before he knew it, the other was pulling him into another lip-lock. Baekhyun’s pouty lips were softer than he could’ve imagined and both their minds journey into a haze, too occupied with the feeling of relishing in each other’s arms.

Baekhyun’s back hits the couch and he tangles his legs with Chanyeol who was hovering on his arms above him. Their lengthy kisses were softer now, but every caress was firm, each one slowing down time. This moment was a beginning, a promise of much more to come.

They finally break apart and Baekhyun giggles at Chanyeol’s goofy grin. Chanyeol shushes the smaller by planting a wet peck on his mouth before moving to sit upright. But Baekhyun’s relaxed demeanor instantly changes, eyes widening and body tensing.

“Yeol. . what’s that burning smell?”

Chanyeol smacks his face. Leave it up to their cooking abilities to kill the moment.

An hour and many burnt choco-pies later, their stomachs are full and they're unwinding on the couch. Some variety show was playing, but the figures on screen were disregarded.

Baekhyun was snuggled against Chanyeol’s chest and the taller’s arms were wrapped around his middle. Chanyeol drops a feather light kiss to Baekhyun’s head and nuzzles his face into his hair. He was afraid of opening his eyes and discovering that having the smaller in his embrace was just a figment of his imagination. But his fears are put to rest when Baekhyun moves up, positioning them face to face. He was chewing his lip — a usual habit when worried — and Chanyeol feels a surge of anxiety. Did he do something wrong?

“Yeol. . I really like you,” Baekhyun begins, and Chanyeol can hear a “but" ring in his mind. “I don’t know if I can bear the thought of losing this relationship we have right now. . but I'm not ready to date anyone. . at the moment of course.”

Chanyeol processes the information in silence. He had zero issues with waiting for Baekhyun and wanted whatever they had, to be on both their terms. But before he could say this, Baekhyun starts stuttering in a panic.

“Please don’t think my actions earlier were fake or that I don’t trust you. . but I don’t want to rush things and I want to feel ready when we go out, or ‘if’ we go out if you’re not okay with this a— are you laughing?” His eyes were blown wide with anxiousness, but bewilderment passes over his face when Chanyeol starts laughing.

“Baek. . don’t work yourself into a frenzy.” Chanyeol places his hands on either side of Baekhyun’s cheeks and squeezes in with a chuckle. “I like you and I know you feel the same. Why else would you practically maul my lips?” he asks, and rolls over with a snicker when Baekhyun swats his hand away.

They fall back into their position from before and Baekhyun shyly pecks Chanyeol’s neck. Peering up at the taller’s embarrassed grin, he smiles with bright eyes.

“When did you start to like me?” he wonders aloud.

Chanyeol thinks. “I’d say about the time you made that horrible pun about my hair.” His response makes Baekhyun scoff. “What about you?”

Humming in thought, Baekhyun picks up Chanyeol’s hand. He caresses each knuckle with adoring eyes and Chanyeol wants to laugh. Baekhyun was the owner of pretty hands, not him.

“I’ve always been attracted to you, but I can’t forget the time when you first started volunteering and you ended up taking a nap on my lap.” Baekhyun smiles fondly at the memory. “We were outside to watch the sunset and you were out like a light. Your presence was so comforting and I couldn’t recall the last time it felt that nice to be with someone. You mean a lot to me.”

Chanyeol doesn’t reply, but the kiss they share is answer enough.

***

A month later and their relationship was still unclear, but not knowing was okay. They were essentially dating, just without all the labels and “rules” that came with the term. Friendly skinship spiraled into much more, although they weren’t at _that_ point yet, most likely because they were too afraid to venture. Even to their friends, any secrecy about their feelings completely vanished after the day they’d gone bowling as a group. One moment Baekhyun was encouraging Chanyeol and the next thing you know, their bodies were flush against each for a heated kiss in the middle of a bowling alley. Jongdae and Suho had hooted at the show while others just assumed it was coming. Maybe Chanyeol and Baekhyun weren’t sure what they were, but one thing was certain — they were happy together.

***

Baekhyun moves around the house in a relaxed pace, in search of something to do. It was eerily quiet, a polarity to the loudness of the past few days. He’s mostly been at Chanyeol’s dorm since his brother came home for a week, but he’s gone again and Baekhyun feels weird with the absence of company. Although it’s been less than two days since he’s seen the taller, he already misses him. Chanyeol with his attentive ways, caring habits, and mind-blowing kisses. But he won’t be deprived for much longer since he’d left his bag at the other’s and Chanyeol would be coming over later to return it.

Baekhyun stops to scan through his variety of sheet music and pauses when he notices the title of a certain song at the bottom of a pile. His hand drifts to it, feeling a sudden itch to play. He hasn’t practiced the first movement of Moonlight Sonata in ages, but it was a song he loved when he was younger. When he’d perform in competitions, he usually opted for the third movement since the difficulty level was far more intense. In spite of that, the first movement was a piece that held more significance to him above all others. It linked him to his childhood and was apart of the reason why he continues to play professionally.

Recently he’s been more assured with his skills and he owes that boost of confidence to Chanyeol. Playing for Chanyeol meant receiving his constant support and candid criticism, and his presence alone helped Baekhyun to focus. He’s thankful for that.

Settling down, Baekhyun briefly examines the piece in front of him. Taking a unsteady breath, he starts to play.

  
***

The day was calm and chilly, the type of weather that would keep most people indoors. Faint bird calls and minimal overcast, but nothing special.

Chanyeol strolls over to a familiar looking house with Baekhyun’s satchel swung over his shoulder. Baekhyun wasn’t the forgetful or irresponsible type, but the other day they’d been too immersed in a discussion regarding his hidden singing ability. What came after that revelation were hours of belting out random songs.

The house’s doorbell was broken and Chanyeol is about to begin knocking, but then he remembers that Baekhyun was going to leave the door open. Turning the knob halfway, he falters and snaps his head up. There was a noise. A soft melody and vaguely recognizable.

Chanyeol opens the door and there he was. Too concentrated on his piece to acknowledge the addition of another in the room. There was nothing wrong with the picture, it was just Baekhyun playing like any other day. But it’s what and how he’s playing that makes Chanyeol’s throat close up and he thinks he might fall.

***

_It’s cold and he’s shivering all over, but Chanyeol slams the door behind him. He breaks into a run when he hears the shatter of ceramic mixed with the voices of a heated argument. He’s tired of it, tired of coming home to find his parents yelling at each other, the stench of weed invading his room, the clamor of heavy objects when things would get physical, and so much more._

_His legs don’t feel weary, alternately they were pumping with adrenaline. His vision was bleary from the tears that seeped out of his eyes and cooled on his skin. He had no clue where he was headed, all he knows is that he needs to get away. There was little money in his pocket, perhaps just enough to get someplace that wasn’t where he was._

_Stopping to catch his breath and bending over in short pants, his eyes adjust to the absence of light. But a few feet ahead of him, there was a sliver of brightness peeking out of an alley. Right as reality comes crashing back to him, he hears it. Slow and stirring presses of keys that could only come from a piano._

_Chanyeol walks closer to the music, an unseeable tug pulling him into the backstreet. There was a young boy his age, no older than thirteen, seated on a weather-worn bench and playing the piano in an impassioned way._

_He had been to this alley before, just a week ago in fact. He’d observed the instrument and yes, it was old and the wood was chipped around the sides. But the keys had a distinct sound to them that only older kinds would produce_ — _it was a precious antique. Chanyeol couldn’t comprehend why someone would cast away such an instrument, they should have just sold it._

_But oh how glad he is that they didn’t.The boy was playing the most bone-chilling song. Chanyeol recognized it as one of Beethoven’s works, but he didn’t know the name. It was entrancing, beautiful, and almost haunting. It soothed Chanyeol’s burning emotions and his angry tears melted into tears of amazement._

_Black hair covered the boy’s forehead and Chanyeol watched as his eyes would flutter open and closed. He’d glance at the keys for a split second then enjoy the melody. He was bringing about a catharsis with his music, with the way he bent his body and hands over the keys like he was putting his soul into it._

_Chanyeol doesn’t know how he was met with such a sight on one of his worst days. But hearing the boy play, he was filled with a sense of hope. The pianist seemed like a legitimate angel, soothing his worries and choler with enthralling music that told him he was going to be fine. So he simply stands there and listens._

_When the boy completes his last note, Chanyeol sees that he’s shaking. His shuddering breath ghosted under a single lamplight and into the night air. Chanyeol wants to run to him and ask what’s wrong, but his legs were paralyzed. However, the pianist looks up and their eyes meet. Shock crosses the boy’s face when he realizes that he had an audience._

_There were still tears running down Chanyeol’s face, but he doesn’t make an effort to wipe them off. All worries from before had been swept up in the boy’s current of music, so Chanyeol chooses to smile at the other. Happiness overwhelms him when he gets a smile in return._

_***_

From the instant that Baekhyun looks up into Chanyeol’s wet eyes, he feels a swell of deja vu and it makes his head spin. Despite the dizziness, his instinct kicks in and he rushes to the taller, gripping his sleeve.

“Chanyeol w-what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

He doesn’t get an answer and Chanyeol guides them to the couch, sitting down with a blank stare. Baekhyun is immensely worried, he’s never seen the other in this state.

“Was it you?” Chanyeol whispers, and Baekhyun blinks in confusion.

“What are you talking about?” he asks, now concerned that Chanyeol might be feeling unwell.

“Think back when we were kids. Was it you who played the piano that night?”

Baekhyun staggers back, like an invisible force had smacked him in the face. _No way_ , he thinks, how could it be possible that the boy he’d played for was seated right next to him?

Chanyeol watched him carefully. “Baek, please answer me. Was it you?”

Baekhyun was gawking at this point. Both their breathing had nearly ceased and he gives a tentative nod. Chanyeol stares off into space, a look of disbelief spreading across his features.

Baekhyun’s limbs were frozen, but he manages to find his words. “Why were you there?”

“That was when I told you I almost ran away,” Chanyeol answers in a hushed voice, and Baekhyun harshly inhales. Thoughts were causing his mind to go murky, but he can’t believe that if they hadn’t crossed paths that night, they’d probably be living different lives.

“And you?” Chanyeol questions, “Why were you there?”

Baekhyun can’t find a single word to say, so he buries his face into Chanyeol’s chest. He feels a hand rub at his back and he tries to get his breathing under control. This was a memory come back to life, one that he doesn’t know how to handle.

“I was just walking,” he finally says, “I debated quitting piano that day and I had to mull over it.” He lifts his head to stare at Chanyeol, who gives him a nod to go on. “I happened to walk into that alley and the piano was just there. . like it was fate or something. For the first time in my life, I played for myself, myself only. But that was before I saw you. . and you were crying.”

His voice breaks, too choked up with emotion. Chanyeol grips his hand tightly and Baekhyun offers him a small smile.

“When I finished playing, seeing you was a huge shock. Not because I was surprised that someone was watching me, but because of how you were looking at me. . in awe and elation. It wasn’t the fake approval I’d get from my instructors or the insults that my parents threw at me. . it was genuine admiration.” Baekhyun meets Chanyeol’s eyes, they were filled with wonder and something more. “That’s why I continued, because if playing for myself meant that I could make others feel the way you did. . then I’d fight for it.”  

Chanyeol’s mouth was completely open. Swallowing hard, he places a hand to Baekhyun’s cheek. “We were each other’s saviors back then. . and now here we are,” he says, voice laced with incredulity. But the way he was smiling at Baekhyun was so full of tenderness that tears well up, in both their eyes.

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun breathes, “I think. .”

Chanyeol’s brows knit together in concern. “What is it?”

Whole body shaking with the need to bring them closer, Baekhyun takes a deep breath. “I think I might just be in love,” he whispers, and Chanyeol breaks.

“I love you too.”

The moment the words leave Chanyeol’s mouth, Baekhyun joins their lips together. The kiss wasn’t slow and languid, but heated and passionate as the last time. Except now, it wasn’t nearly enough.

Chanyeol smiles into their kiss when Baekhyun wraps a hand around his neck, pulling them closer. He snakes an arm around the smaller’s waist and both of them revel in the feeling of being pressed firmly against each other. Baekhyun’s body was growing limp in Chanyeol’s hold, over and over were their kisses and their minds were somewhere else entirely.

Chanyeol’s mouth was so soft and eager that Baekhyun can’t resist biting his lower lip, and Chanyeol lets out a small gasp. The sound stirs something in Baekhyun and he wants to elicit more noises from the taller. But before he can perform the action again, Chanyeol’s plump lips graze his neck. At the same time, he traces a hand from Baekhyun’s hip and slips it under his shirt, rough touches meeting smooth skin. Baekhyun releases a low whimper, needing _more_.

Pulling away, he looks at Chanyeol whose eyes were blown wide with lust. “Yeol, can we. .” he whispers, breathing so heavily he could barely speak.

Chanyeol seemed conflicted. “Are you sure? I want this too, but only if you’re a hundred percent okay with it.”

Baekhyun’s heart races and he pecks Chanyeol’s cheek. He loves how affectionate and thoughtful the taller was, no matter the occasion. “I’m sure and thank you for asking. But dear god, please skip all the formalities, I need you.”

The look in Chanyeol’s eyes darken and before they can intertwine again, Baekhyun pulls them through a hallway.  

They stumble into Baekhyun’s room and Chanyeol shivers at the sound the door makes when Baekhyun shuts it closed. It brought him out of his passion filled haze and he’s trembling with anticipation and nervousness.

They collide together on Baekhyun’s firm mattress and Chanyeol groans at the sight of the smaller sprawled out beneath him. Baekhyun’s lips were wet and swollen, his hair tousled, and droopy eyes stared up at Chanyeol with adoration.

Baekhyun leans back on his elbows and raises a brow expectantly. “So. . are you going to do something about this?” he asks, teasingly flitting his eyes down to his very prominent bulge, hoping that the taller man would help him out of his suffocating restraints.

“Give me a moment, your lips are far too addicting.” Chanyeol bends down, positioning his arms on either side of Baekhyun’s shoulders. Deciding to tease the other, Chanyeol presses a soft kiss to the corner of Baekhyun's mouth, missing his lips on purpose. But his plan backfires when Baekhyun’s heavy breathing disturbs the tiny hairs on his neck, sending a shiver to every part of his body and making his own mind go foggy.  

“ _Fuck_ . . if you don’t quit holding back I will literally tell you a dad joke right when you’re about to come.” Baekhyun’s eyes flash with irritation and Chanyeol fights the urge to laugh.

“Whoa there, someone’s impatient,” Chanyeol teases, but he gives in to Baekhyun’s wishes. He unzips the smaller’s tight jeans and slowly slides it down his legs, biting his lip to keep a moan from escaping when Baekhyun’s milky thighs come into view.

He doesn’t get the opportunity to appreciate them more, because he feels a biting sensation on his bicep and his eyes widen when Baekhyun winks devilishly. There’s a flurry of limbs and clothes getting chucked across the room and the next thing he knows, his breathing is laboured and coming out muffled into Baekhyun’s now exposed collar.

Words stopped being exchanged, in their place were longing glances and breathless sighs. Coloring Baekhyun’s neck with one last love bite, Chanyeol moves back to leave wet kisses along his chest. Slender fingers tangle into his hair and as he makes his way lower, one hand leaves his head and he hears a drawer opening.

“Chanyeol come up here,” Baekhyun grits out, and their lips lock together. “Take care of me, I trust you.” He grabs Chanyeol’s hand and holds it against his body, slowly moving it downwards. He shudders when he feels a knuckle stroke the inside of his thigh, every nerve in his body narrowing to the taller’s touch.

Pleasure courses through their veins when at long last, Baekhyun’s hips buck up to brush their bare erections together for some form of relief. Chanyeol chokes out a moan into Baekhyun’s mouth, gasping for air when he feels nails trail up his back.

They lose themselves completely, the world falling away and leaving only them. Chanyeol nudges at Baekhyun’s entrance, swearing in a long exhale. There was warmth, drawn out moans, and clashing of tongues and teeth. Baekhyun’s legs wrap around Chanyeol’s back, he was hardly breathing, hardly thinking beyond where their bodies joined.

Torturously slow thrusts transition into rapid drives, both of their faces turning damp with sweat. Loud cries and pounding strokes were the only noise in the room, apart from reassuring whispers and sloppy kisses.

They’d found each other years ago and neither knew if it was fate or some higher power that brought them back. Neither cared though, not when their releases were on the edge of shattering their consciousness. Every inch of Baekhyun was burning and tightening, he was shuddering, half-sobbing. Arching up, their mouths meet in a kiss that was open and deep. Moving their hips in time with each other, time slowly came to a stop. Their climaxes tore through their bodies, Chanyeol drawing out their pleasure by slamming to the hilt until all they could see and hear were each other.

Silence fell, interrupted only by their panting breaths. They don’t know how long they lay there, lazily touching each other on the damp sheets, as if they had all the time in the world.

Baekhyun rolls over to snuggle into Chanyeol’s heat, even though they were both sweaty.

Chanyeol takes Baekhyun’s flushed face into his hands. “Always remember that you’re worth it,” he whispers, stroking a finger down Baekhyun’s arm. “I love you.”

Baekhyun’s eyes were twinkling, so much happiness in them that Chanyeol could cry. “I know, I love you too.”

Baekhyun nibbles teasingly on Chanyeol’s earlobe and he giggles when the taller scrunches up his nose. Their laughter fades into a peaceful quietness and hands join together while eyes gradually close.

“Baek, by the way. . . this means we’re dating right?”

“Oh my god.”

***

“Happy Anniversary!” Baekhyun shouts, hooking his legs around Chanyeol’s waist and dropping a light kiss to his nape.

Chanyeol swings around, plopping them on their shared bed. Nestling into his boyfriend’s warmth, Baekhyun smooths out his hair with a laugh.

“We made it halfway out the door and we’re already in bed?” Baekhyun chuckles softly, pulling Chanyeol closer to his chest. “It’s nearly noon, we should be doing something.”

“So?” Chanyeol whines, kicking at their blankets. He’s not opposed to cuddling all day, especially on a lazy weekend. “It’s our anniversary right? Let me hold you longer.”

Baekhyun sighs, but with a smile in his tone. “You big baby,” he coos, and yelps when Chanyeol tickles his side.

It was their second year anniversary and the couple had their own apartment in a nice area of Seoul. Needless to say, they were living their best lives. Chanyeol had acquired his bachelor’s degree in music production and was working for a big company called SM entertainment. Baekhyun on the other hand, he’d begun a career as a rising concert pianist; he’d been busy composing his own pieces along with teaching at a community college.

They still went volunteering and had little dates, they’d even made plans to adopt a dog in the future. It’s incredible to plan and build a life together, but the simple things made their time cherishable. Moments such as sweet morning kisses and late night activities under the sheets. Chanyeol had a tendency to rouse before Baekhyun, and upon waking he’d pepper the smaller’s face with his lips to get them out of their drowsy state.

Some things eased into routines; on sunny days they’d head to the pier and collect baby crabs before pushing each other into the waves. If Chanyeol had work at an earlier time, Baekhyun would wake before the sunrise and make his preferred choice of coffee, and vice versa. It were these basic habits that expressed their love in actions rather than words.

“Come over here, I have something to show you.” Baekhyun drags them off their mattress and into the living room where a beautiful piano was lodged between modern decor. Chanyeol had been saving up since the last year and bought it for his boyfriend only recently. The joy and tears of happiness on Baekhyun’s face was a sight Chanyeol would never forget.

“What is it?” Chanyeol peers over Baekhyun’s shoulder, trying to get a glimpse of what he was looking for.

“Oh just something.” Baekhyun hands Chanyeol pieces of laminated sheet music. “You know how I never finished First Love?” he asks, and Chanyeol nods. “Well I sorta did, but in the form of a different song. Think of it as a continuation. I’ve been working on it privately since the past March, so the end product would be a surprise. Although the process was super slow because we’re always together.”

Chanyeol beams. Day by day, his boyfriend never fails to make him proud. He asks what inspired him and Baekhyun smiles, like he was waiting for Chanyeol to ask that question.

“You did,” Baekhyun says after a pause, and circles his arms around his lover. “I guess that missing part of my story was finding you again.”

Chanyeol automatically feels his eyes well up. It didn’t help that the both of them were cliché and far too sentimental for their own good.

“I know I’m an amazing boyfriend, but don’t cry.” Baekhyun lifts himself up to touch their foreheads and kisses away a tear that trickled down Chanyeol’s face.

“It’s just dust I swear,” Chanyeol protests, and rubs at his eyes. “Also what are you calling it?”

Baekhyun hums. “Uhm a song made out of love?” Grimacing, he swipes his hand through the air, smacking the idea away. “Forget that, it sounds too cringy. How about a composition of heartstrings? It’s classy.”

They both laugh. Baekhyun’s eyes sparkle brighter than usual in the afternoon glow, full of love and amusement. Chanyeol can’t imagine a time without that smile. They had a long journey ahead of them and they may have started out by taking different roads, but at the end of the day they’d always walk the same path.

End.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> ahhhh if you've gotten this far thank you for reading! Comment while you're at it haha. Also I wanted to say this ff was heavily inspired by Baekhyun playing "The Answer" on the piano .. go check it out ;)


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